ROMANCE: BIKER ROMANCE: Werewolf Rider (MC Shifter Pregnancy Romance) (New Adult Paranormal Romance Short Stories) (6 page)

“Heath.”

It was all she managed to whisper before collapsing again into the darkness.  Her body tried to pull away, return to the dream, but her head and her heart screamed, waking her back into the light.

“There you are.  There is my love.”

Alva smiled weakly.  He was here.  He was really here.

“Are we okay?”

It was all she could manage.  All the questions she could ask.

“I am okay.  You are not.  You have to eat and drink for me now, Alva.  I need you.  We are going to be okay.”

Weeks later, Alva was back up and around, her body recovered from the days of not eating and drinking she had forced upon yourself.  Heath stayed by her side, never leaving her for a moment, bringing her back to him.  When she was well enough, they left for his home.  His family had understood the nature of his love for Alva and forgiven him for his brother’s death, one they considered self-defense, despite the circumstances from which it evolved.  Heath had left as the new leader of the dragon clan, his rightful place with the demise of his brother.

This was what love was meant to be, Alva thought to herself as they set on the cliffs surrounding their new home and admired the sun sinking deep into the canyon below.  She put her hand to her midsection.  There was not yet anything to tell, but she knew that there soon would be.  She could already feel a certain warm springing forth from their earlier lovemaking.  A tiny dragon seed had been planted and a new generation would emerge.

The End.

BEAR OF THE HIGHLANDS

“Go faster, you infernal beast,” Lady Murdina yelled at the horse she had stolen from the stables of her childhood home. 

Though it was already furiously galloping through the thickest parts of the forest, causing her to duck branches, it just wasn’t fast enough.  She could see the knights her brother had sent closing in on her from behind.  They would be on her in no time if this animal didn’t go faster.  Her only hope was to lose them in the trees before the clearing up ahead.  If she failed, she would be dragged back to her brother’s castle and handed over to Lord Cannon as his betrothed.  She had rather die on the cliffs than have that happen.

Lord Cannon was well known to be a sadist.  She would be his sixth wife in only five years.  The first had not survived the night, it is told.  Two of the others were locked away in the mad house and one had disappeared.  Whether it was the woman’s own doing or his remained a speculation, but a body had yet to be recovered.  It was commonly believed that she escaped, but no one knows to where. Talk of a dungeon and cruelty beyond measure was said not to be embellished, but rather watered down for the innocent ears of those who knew naught of such things. 

Just ahead she could see a clearing, she headed towards it, but quickly banked left and ducked back into an adjoining section of trees, heading southeast at an angle.  Hopefully, the knights would be well across the clearing before they realized she had changed course and was long gone.  She barked at the horse to move faster as it continued its dangerous pace through low hanging limbs and treacherous footing.

As the forest grew darker and thicker, she slowed and paused the horse, letting them both catch their breath as she listened for hoof prints.  Hearing none, she began walking the horse slowly through the blackness of the obsidian woods.  It would be daylight soon and she would be more visible to those who followed her.  The further she could get away in the darkness, the better, but she needed to give the horse a break.  Unfortunately, the turn had resulted in her becoming a bid disoriented and she was no longer sure which direction she was headed.  The tree cover prevented her from seeing the moon and stars above, so she had no guide other than instinct.

“Okay, we can’t keep walking fellow.  Just hang in there with me and I promise that you will be the most spoiled horse in the land for getting me out of here alive,” she whispered to the stallion beneath her, smoothing the hair on his neck with her hand before digging in her heels and sending him charging forward again.

There were no sounds that she could hear as they rode, so she thought she was in the clear.  Still, they made their way quickly along toward a part of the woods with which she was unfamiliar.  There was no hesitation in charging right into it.  Whatever was in there was still bound to be better than the cruelty that awaited her at home.  Speed was of the essence now.

“What is wrong with you?” she said to the horse as she suddenly pulled short and side stepped what appeared to be a clearing in the woods.  Murdina climbed down and looked ahead of them, discovering that they had reached a deep chasm that could not be seen for the thick woods that grew all the way up to its very edge.  The horse had seen it and stopped.

“Good boy, but we can’t stay here,” she said, smoothing his nuzzle as she looked around and listened.  Not too far off, she heard the crunch of branches.  It could be anything, including her brother’s knights.  There was no doubt they would pursue her until there was no hope of her being found.  Their fate in returning to her brother without her in their clutches would be decidedly final in nature.

She climbed back on the horse and followed the forest along the edge of the deep ravine until she arrived at a clearing in the trees.  There was no sign of the knights as she cleared the woods and began galloping quickly across the meadow ahead of her.  She topped a slight ridge and her face fell.  Facing her were a good portion of the knights, apparently having figured out what she had done and fallen back to track her back into the woods.  She turned, too quick, and the horse came out from under her.  It stumbled away as she struggled to get out from under its faltering feet.

“Well, look who decided to turn back up,” Sir Hooson said, climbing off his horse to retrieve her.  Murdina scrambled toward the edge of the chasm.

“Stop! Come any closer to me and I’ll throw myself over the edge!” she screamed at him.

“Go ahead.  You’ll save me the trouble of hauling you back to your brother kicking and screaming,” he laughed as he continued toward her.

Murdina took a deep breath and said a silent prayer as she stood on the edge, preparing to jump.  Suddenly, strong arms were around her, pulling her upon the back of a black stallion headed deep into the woods.  She barely had time to register what was happening as she was rushed into the dark part of the forest where no one dared go by a strange man she had never seen before.  They were miles away before he stopped and climbed down, helping her off the horse before pulling the hood of the long dark cloak her wore away from his head.  She stood looking up at his dark, handsome face and broad shoulders as he looked down upon her softly.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t have time to see if you were okay, but it appeared you were between a rock and hard place back there.  Well, a mob and a hole might be more apt,” he told her with a smile.

“I’m . . . fine,” she hesitated.  “Are we safe from them?  I can’t go back with them.”

“You are safe,” he replied, putting his hands on her shoulders to calm her.  She felt a shudder go through her entire being as he touched her.  Whoever he was, he had saved her.

“Thank you so much.  I was in dire straits,” she told him.

“It certainly seemed that way.  Why are those men after you?” he asked.

Murdina considered the question, but was hesitant to answer.  She had no idea who this man was.  Just because he saved her didn’t mean he was a good guy.  He could very well turn around and ransom her back to her brother if he knew who she was.

“They wanted to trade me for favors from a man with which they do business,” she replied.

“Sounds like nasty business, that.  Where were you planning to go to get away from them?  I can help you get there,” he replied.

“I didn’t know.  I stole a horse and just took off on it.  I was just trying to get far away and then sort out where I would go after that,” she replied.

“Well, our camp is not far.  We are mostly men, but there are some women.  You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need.  You will be safe.  We only ask that you do your part,” he told her.

“That would be overwhelmingly kind of you.  I would appreciate it very much,” she replied, feeling relieved.

“Very good.  I’m Rory of the Clan McKordia,” he told her, looking at her softly.

“Anna,” she lied.

“Just Anna?” he asked.

“Yes, just Anna,” she told him.

“Well, Anna, let’s get you back to camp before those men decide to venture into the darkness to find you,” he replied.

Murdina knew that the men would not venture into the darkest part of the woods to look for her.  At least, not at this late hour.  She could go to Rory’s camp with him at least for the night to figure out what she must do from there.  Tomorrow, the men would surely return with reinforcements to retrieve her.  Climbing onto the back of Rory’s horse, she held onto him as they rode quietly through the thick part of the forest.  She felt safe and secure with him, despite his being a stranger to her.  Hopefully, he wouldn’t betray that simple trust and she would make it to some far away land where she could feel completely at ease.

“Here we are,” he told her as they rode into what appeared to be a makeshift encampment. 

Looking around, Anna could see huts that were erected with whatever materials were handy.  They were built all along the banks of the river that ran through the forest and ended in a waterfall of the cliff on the other side.  The cliff jutted out so that three sides of the camp were protected by the steep climb it would take to reach it from below.  The only way in was through the deepest part of the forest where very few dared to venture.  There were tales of many who had done so and never returned.  Even the cliff itself was obscured by a heavy bank of trees that enclosed the somewhat open area along the water’s edge

“This is quite the place you have set up here,” she remarked.

“Yes, it is.  We aren’t really welcome in most of the established areas of Scotland.  It is in our best interest to keep to ourselves the best that we can.  You are lucky that I was out bartering with a nearby trader when I came across your situation,” he said.

“I was lucky.  I don’t know that I can ever thank you enough,” she replied.

“It was nothing,” he replied, stopping and climbing down off the horse.  As before, he reached up to help her down.

Anna looked awkwardly around, not sure what to do next.  She had no place here.  All her life she had lived behind castle walls.  It would be obvious to them that she was not a commoner the moment she attempted to do any menial task.  Her short lived relief gave way to panic.

“Where will I stay?” she asked nervously.

“I don’t know.  I have room, but that would be inappropriate.  Let me get my horse unpacked and we will find a place where you will be comfortable.  Have you eaten today?” he asked.

“No,” Anna replied, shaking her head and looking at the ground.  She felt like a beggar.

“Then, let’s get you something to eat while I work on everything else,” he told her. 

“I don’t know what to say,” she said, feeling ashamed.

“Don’t say anything, Anna.  Pretty much everyone here was in your shoes at some point.  Some of us are kinsmen that came here together, but a good many of the people are just like yourself.  They were on the run from something or someone when they wound up here.  Some hadn’t eaten for days and had nothing to call their own.  They came here and made a new life.  You can find a place here, if you choose.  If not, then you are welcome to our good graces while you figure it out.  As I said before, we only ask that you do your part while among us,” he told her gently.

A tear rolled down Anna’s face.  She couldn’t imagine living in these conditions for very long.  Then again, she had nowhere else to go.  At least it would give her time to come up with a plan.  She nodded silently toward Rory, not able to say anything at the moment for fear she would burst into all out tears.

“Very good.  See that woman right over there with the giant black pot over a fire?” he asked.  Anna nodded again and he continued, “Go over there and tell her you want a bowl of whatever she is making.  Tell her I sent you.”

“Okay,” Anna replied, starting toward the woman.  She stopped suddenly and turned back, only to find that Rory was still watching her walk away.  “Um, thank you again, Rory.”

“My pleasure,” he replied, turning away to begin unpacking the horse.

Anna hurried over to the woman, a large pie faced peasant that she ordinarily would not have so much as glanced at.  She relayed what Rory had told her to say and the woman beamed at her, fishing a large wooden bowl off a nearby table.  Filling it with a healthy portion of the porridge she had prepared in the large iron kettle, she retrieved a hard crust of bread and a small block of cheese to place on top, handing them to Anna and directing her to a nearby rock where she could sit and eat.

“There you go, love.  Welcome to our home,” the woman told her with a large grin as she handed her a large stein filled with fresh milk.  “Just wash your things when you are done and return them to the table.”

“Thank you so much!” Anna told her, taking her food over to the large flat rock and sitting down to eat.  She had never tasted food like this before.  It was quite delicious, full of unusual spices and consistencies.  She had forgotten how hungry she had gotten and was done with the food in no time.  She swilled down the last of her milk and sat looking around at the people working on various things around her.  Feeling quite gluttonous, she took her empty vessels over to the edge of the water and began rinsing them in the flowing stream.  Rory met her as she returned.