Midnight's Surrender: A Dark Warriors Holiday Novella (9 page)

“I’m losing patience.”

He peeled back his lips in a smile to show his fangs. “You can take your offer and go bugger yourself. No one could compare to Rennie, especially no’ you.”

Her anger was swift—and fierce. Dale felt her magic well up just before it pummeled him, bringing him to his knees. But she wasn’t done.

She methodically cut her finger and let two drops of her blood hang in midair before she flung them at him, sending them directly into his still-open wounds.

Dale clenched his jaw to keep from shouting from the anguish of it. He collapsed sideways while his body began to systematically shut down.

He lifted his gaze to Rennie and smiled as he comprehended what the ancients and her ancestors wanted her to do—she was the only one who could defeat Harriet. It might not be part of her destiny, but it would be a start. And he knew she could do it. If only he could tell her.

The edges of his vision grew dark as his body convulsed.

*   *   *

It was the bellow of distress that pulled Rennie into consciousness. She winced at the pain in her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Dale on his side, his body wracked in torture.

Harriet screamed in fury and sent blast after blast of magic into the invisible barrier keeping her out of the chamber. Rennie hastily crawled to Dale. As soon as she reached him he went still and limp.

“No,” she whispered and touched his chest, hoping to feel it move. But nothing happened. “No, no, no, no. I’m not ready for you to leave me.”

Tears stung her eyes and she quickly blinked them away. She didn’t understand how he could be dead. The only way a Warrior could be killed was by beheading or with
drough
blood.

With Dale’s open wounds and Harriet, Rennie quickly pieced together what had happened. Her head jerked up to Harriet. Never in her life had Rennie felt such hate and rage. She climbed to her feet and started toward the Druid who had ruined her happiness.

She watched Harriet’s meltdown as she screamed and stamped her feet before bending over at the waist and tugging her hair. Rennie couldn’t find an ounce of compassion or pity.

“Why?” Rennie demanded. “Why did you kill him?”

Harriet froze, her laughter loud and shrill as she flung her head up, her long, red hair flying around her, and straightened. “I did it because I wanted to. After you kill the first time, it gets easier.”

“You mean after you killed your husband?”

“Yes,” she hissed angrily. After a pause, she smoothed out her features and said, “Dale refused my offer. For that he had to pay. Not to mention I knew it would rile you. Now you will give me what I want.”

Rennie opened herself up to every ounce of magic in and around her. She silently called to the ancients and her ancestors and was rewarded with the white ribbons of magic from the fire moving toward her to tangle about her legs. The ribbons worked their way up her body, moving faster as they did.

Rennie waited for Harriet to comment on them, and when she didn’t Rennie realized Harriet couldn’t see it.

“Rile me? You’ve done more than that, Harriet. You’ve awoken a part of me you’re going to wish you had left alone.”

“You? Please.”

But Rennie saw the little quiver of uncertainty in Harriet’s demeanor, and she took advantage of it. Rennie imagined her magic knocking Harriet on her ass, and in the next instant, it did just that.

“I hope that hurt. I’m just getting started, Harriet.”

“You’ll never be rid of me!” Harriet screamed.

Rennie was up for the challenge. No matter her fury, she couldn’t take a life—not even one as evil as Harriet. Without missing a beat, she set up spells so Harriet could never step foot on her property again without suffering unimaginable agony.

As soon as she heard Harriet’s scream of pain and retreating footsteps, Rennie rushed back to Dale. She smoothed a hand through his hair and pressed against his wounds to stop the bleeding.

“I don’t know what to do!” she yelled at the chamber, hoping her ancestors or the ancients would help her. “Help me save him!”

When there was no reply, she leaned over him, refusing to let him go. The ribbons of magic swelled to encompass Dale with her.

“Heal him,” she whispered to her magic. She had never used magic to heal before, but it was worth a chance. If imagining what she wanted worked in removing Harriet, maybe the same could be done with Dale. Rennie closed her eyes and envisioned what she wanted as she said the words. “Remove the
drough
blood. Close the wounds. Remove the
drough
blood. Close the wounds.”

She repeated the words over and over, pouring her magic into him. Minutes ticked by with nothing. In response, she pushed her magic harder, further. Rennie could feel something strange happening, but she refused to stop and see what it was.

Please don’t die. I need you, Dale. I need you.

A warm hand covered hers. Startled, she jerked her head up to find Dale’s dark eyes open and looking at her.

“Dale?” she whispered incredulously.

“Aye, lass,” he said with a wink and tugged at a strand of her hair. “You saved me, Rennie.”

“You aren’t done
,” the ancients suddenly said inside her mind.
“Look inside yourself.”

Dale’s brow furrowed. “Rennie? What is it?”

“Hang on,” she murmured.

Rennie closed her eyes once more and searched through her magic as the ancients had instructed. Hidden deep inside herself, a small and brightly shining flare of magic different from anything else caught her attention.

She reached for it and drew it closer. As she did, she saw it was a spell to give one Warrior the chance to become mortal once more, binding his god forever.

With a smile she opened her eyes. “I know what my destiny is.”

He pressed on his now-healed chest before he sat up. “You mean it’s no’ bringing a Warrior back from the dead and removing the
drough
blood?”

Rennie couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter. “No.”

“There’s more?” he asked, surprised. When she nodded, he looked around her to the tunnel. “You got rid of Harriet.”

“For good.”

He frowned. “You didna kill her, did you, lass? You doona want that stain on your soul.”

“No, I didn’t kill her.”

“I can no’ take it anymore,” he said with a grin. “Tell me.”

Rennie swallowed and took one of his large hands in hers. “Do you like being a Warrior?”

“There are things I like. Feeling your magic for one.”

“If you had the choice to bind your god, would you?” she asked as she caressed the back of his hand.

For several seconds he stared deeply into her eyes. Then, he answered, “Aye.”

“I can do that for you.”

He merely sat there as he considered her words before he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “So my vision was real. I can grow old.”

“If that’s what you want. I have the spell that can grant one Warrior that gift.”

“And you would give it to me?”

She shrugged. “If you want it.”

“Aye, lass. I want it,” he said and tugged her to him for a heated kiss.

As their lips met, Rennie put her hands on his chest and pulled up the spell to bind his god. There was no need to say the words, for there weren’t any. The spell had to be passed from her hands into the Warrior of her choice.

It took but a moment, but as soon as the spell went into Dale, he jerked away from her, his eyes wide. “I can no’ hear Shomi anymore.”

“Is that your god’s name?”

“Aye. He’s always been so loud in my mind.”

“Not anymore. He’s gone.”

“Just like that?”

She nodded, unsure if he was happy or not.

Dale frowned and looked as if he were concentrating. “I’m trying to call to him so I can shift, but it isna happening.” His face broke into a wide smile. “Lass, you gave me what I didna think I could have.”

“You deserve it.”

“Do I? I’m no’ so sure, but I’ll take it,” he said and ran his fingers down her cheek. “I thought I’d never hold you again.”

“You can hold me for as long as you want.”

“How about forever?”

Rennie leaned into his hand that now cupped her cheek. “I like the sound of that.”

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

The seriousness in his tone caused her heart to skip a beat. “You don’t have to stay with me because you feel obligated, you—”

He put a finger over her lips to quiet her. “Hush, lass. I’m trying to tell you I love you.”

Rennie blinked, doubtful she had heard him correctly. “You love me?”

“With everything I have.”

“That’s good,” she said with a smile, her heart bursting with joy. “Because I love you.”

In an instant he was on his feet and tugging her after him as he practically ran from the chamber into the tunnel.

“Where are we going?” she asked, laughing.

“I’m taking you to be where I plan on keeping you for several days. We’re going to start a new tradition beginning on the winter solstice and lasting until Christmas morning.”

“And that is?”

“Seeing how many times I can make love to you.”

Rennie’s laughter only grew when they reached the surface and he lifted her in his arms and raced to the house.

She had gotten her Christmas wish after all. One that would last for many, many years to come.

Read on for an excerpt from Donna Grant’s next book

MIDNIGHT’S TEMPTATION

Coming soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Late August

He tangled his fingers in her long, thick, ebony tresses, her sighs of pleasure making his blood singe his veins. Her feminine curves were a heady delight to a man starved for her.

Golden skin speaking of Spanish heritage and as smooth as satin called him to touch more of her. He lay on his side, her body pressed against him. His hand glided past the indent of her waist and over a gently flared hip down to her thigh.

Her legs parted instantly. His lungs seized when his fingers delved into the black curls, trimmed and partially shaved, hiding her sex.

“Please,” she whispered.

Her voice, seductive and low, beckoned him, urged him. And he wasn’t going to disappoint.

He groaned, his cock swelling even more, when her back arched and her nails dug into his shoulders. Her breathy sighs filled the room as he caressed the sensitive flesh of her sex.

It wasn’t until she shook from need that he finally dipped a finger inside her. He ground his teeth together at the feel of her slick heat.

She was everything he wanted and more, so much more. To finally have her in his bed, to have his hands on her … it was almost too good to be true.

Her eyes opened, and he looked into dark pools of desire. She clung to him, her lips parted as her hips rocked against him.

He rolled her onto her back and settled between her legs. She grinned up at him, daring him to take her. His arousal grazed her sex, causing her to gasp at the sensation.

He fisted his hands in the pillow and brought his raging body back under control. He would have her, but he wanted her screaming in pleasure first. Only then would he fill her with his cock.

With a dip of his head, he bent and closed his mouth around a turgid nipple. His tongue circled the peak before he began to suckle.

She cried out and held his head between her hands. He moved to her other breast and teased that nipple until she was writhing beneath him.

Now, now he would kiss down her body until his lips were on her sex. He would bring her to the brink several times before he allowed her to climax.

Then he would plunge inside her, have her legs wrap around him as he brought them to ecstasy.

He kissed the valley between her breasts, but before he could place another kiss on her sweet skin, she rolled him onto his back and straddled him.

His heart missed a beat. She was a magnificent sight with her wealth of midnight hair falling around her shoulders to lay alongside her full, tempting breasts.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. He was caught in her fawn-colored gaze. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t in control of the lovemaking. She was.

And it thrilled him far more than was comfortable.

Her full lips tilted up in the barest of smiles. A smile that said she knew exactly what she was doing to him. And she loved it.

He swallowed heavily, his rod jumping with anticipation. His balls tightened when she reached down and took him in hand. Somehow he kept his hands in the sheets, fisted tightly. Sweat broke out over his body as he fought to keep still for her.

Only for her. No other woman had ever commanded him in such a way, and he feared no other ever would.

She was on her knees, her entrance above his arousal while she ran her hands up and down his length. She was teasing him as he planned to tease her.

He’d never ached for a woman before. Not once had he hungered to have a certain woman in his arms. But
she
changed everything.

No longer could he hold off from touching her. He cupped her bountiful breasts and flicked his thumbs over her nipples. In response, she swirled her thumb over the head of his shaft.

He groaned and lifted his hips. His cock came in contact with the soft folds of her sex, and his control snapped.

As if she knew he had gone over the brink, she lowered herself onto him. He was mindless, feral with need. With a jerk, he pulled her down as he raised his hips until he was fully seated inside her. She groaned, her head thrown back and the ends of her hair brushing his thighs.

For a second, he couldn’t move. Her tight, slick walls held him suspended between agony and pleasure, torment and release. He knew in that moment that she commanded his body.

His fear was that her reach would extend past his body to his heart, or worse——his soul.

With his heart hammering in his chest, she began to rock her hips. He closed his eyes to feel every delightful, perfect minute of her.

There was a slight thumping that intruded upon him, but he was determined to ignore it. He rolled over, taking her with him. He lost her in the blankets. Panic seized him as he searched, only to find himself clutching a pillow instead of her soft body.