Highlander’s Wicked Temptation: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel

by Maddie MacKenna

  “She would say nothin’,” Jude said. “Me wife left many years ago. Gone to heaven, but I believe she would have wanted me to pluck ye from yer dreadful, uncarin’ life and bring ye with me.”

  “How did she die?” Cleopatra asked as she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Jude pressed his lips into a tight line and shook his head.

  His silence spoke volumes. She nodded as she dropped her eyes from him. “Is it the same reason you refuse to leave me here alone to go hunting with the others?”

  Shock flicked over his face and he nodded. “Aye. She was attacked, much like the way ye were near the river.”

  “But you didn’t get to her in time,” Cleopatra said as guilt rippled through her.

  Everything makes sense now. Why Jude saved me from those vile dogs and why he has been keeping such a keen eye on me this whole time. Am I his redemption for a life he lost?

  “Nay, I dinnae,” he whispered, and Cleopatra noticed the memory swirling around in his mind. It pulled him under the turbulent currents of guilt and remorse. Sighing, Cleopatra rose to her feet. Jude glanced up to her and kept his eyes locked on her as she walked around him.

  “I may be a woman,” Cleopatra said, “but I am not weak.”

  “Ye’ve proved that. Merely by holdin’ yer own. Never once did ye complain about yer leg achin’. Nae once did I hear a peep from ye about yer lot in life. Nay, yer nae weak.”

  “Then please,” Cleopatra kneaded her fingers into his shoulders as she spoke. “Do not concern yourself with me. I can handle myself.”

  Jude reached up and grabbed her hand. He pulled it down over his shoulder and to Cleopatra’s surprise, kissed the tender skin of her wrist.

  “Ye are me concern now,” Jude said. “Ye and Hugh.”

  Cleopatra’s heart raced as Jude continued to caress her wrist. She felt a fire burning throughout her. It seemed as if Jude’s kiss touched more than just her flesh. It was as if he reached into her soul and embraced every part of her.

  Glancing down, she stared at Jude. With his eyes closed, he breathed in deeply causing his shoulders to rise and fall. Lowering herself to him, she was compelled to kiss him. It was as if her very spirit longed to be connected to his in some shape or form. After all she had been through, she knew parting from him would be a mistake for she could not survive alone out in the wilderness.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he dropped her wrist.

  Cleopatra gasped and tried to push aside her desire that had billowed in her chest. Rejection washed over her as Jude rose to his feet and stepped closer to the fire.

  She pulled in a deep breath to steady herself and shook her head. “It’s all right.”

  He turned with his brow scrunched and tilted his head. “Do ye think I’m sorry for kissin’ ye?”

  Confused, Cleopatra nodded. “I figured you were just so caught up in the moment,” she forced a tender smile on her face trying to block out the fact that she wanted his attention.

  “I’m nae sorry for that,” he said, turning to the fire and poking the stick into it. Flames shot up into the air as black smoke billowed out.

  “Then what?”

  “I shouldnae have taken ye from yer home,” he said.

  “Are you letting me go then?” she asked as a sinking feel took over her. Her legs wobbled at the thought of having to face her father’s ire. She knew that her father would find some reason to scold her and pin her for Jude’s faults.

  “I figured this would happen,” she said lowering herself to the ground. “It makes sense.”

  “What are ye goin’ on about?”

  Cleopatra forced the corner of her lip to curl up as she stared at Jude. Pain boiled under her words as she locked eyes with him. “My father doesn’t want me at his home. I knew it would only be a matter of time before you shunned me as well.”

  “How can ye possibly ken yer faither doesnae want ye?” Jude asked.

  “Because I killed my mother, his beloved wife. She died giving me life and my father…well…he hasn’t forgiven me for the act. He’s told me several times how he wishes to be rid of me. How I remind him too much of the woman he loved. And here you are, professing to me, that I remind you of someone you lost.”

  “Nay,” Jude said as his hand bolted out to her. “I daenae want ye to go. If anythin’ I want ye to stay. But there are things that conspire against me that I daenae want ye involved in.”

  Jude dropped the stick in his hand and rushed to her. Cupping his hands around her oval shaped face, he drew her eyes to his. Cleopatra could feel the heat of the tears pooling in her eyes, begging to spill down her cheeks. With her lip quivering, she tried to hold his gaze, but dropped her eyes as a pain ripped through the center of her being.

  “Cleo,” Jude’s voice dropped so low that she could barely hear him. Her heart quickened as he lowered his head to hers. He was but a breath away from her when her ears perked. Instinctively, she whipped her head to the left. Coming out of the shadows of the trees, she spied Jude’s men.

  “What on earth?” she gasped as her heart sank. It was clear by the way they moved, they carried something heavy, but it was no game they brought back.

  “Hugh!” Jude screamed as he pulled away from Cleopatra and rushed down the path to greet them.

  Cleopatra’s heart drummed in her ears as her blood ran cold. She curled her arms around her chest as all sorts of scenarios played out in her mind.

  Please, not Hugh, anyone else but the boy. Spare the child.

  “Cleo, fetch water,” Jude demanded. She took flight to the creak only to stop to collect the water jug. As she prayed, she plunged the jug into the cold, crisp waters. It took every bit of strength she possessed to carry the jug back to the camp site. As she approached, her heart sank as did her arms, nearly tipping the water out of the jug.

  There, struggling for life was Adam with a long stick plunged into his torso.

  8

  “Adam,” Jude slapped Adam on the face as Adam’s eyes began to roll back. “Adam.”

  “Hugh,” Adam moaned as he forced himself to pull out of the darkness.

  Jude had seen this before. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Adam’s life was teetering on the edge of a blade. His heart pumped harder and harder as he looked Adam over once again trying to figure out a way to remove the arrow lodged in Adam’s chest.

  “Ye need to hold,” Jude ordered as he looked up.

  Cleo hobbled to the fire with the jug in her hands. Her eyes were wide with fright and for a split second, Jude wanted nothing more than to shield her from this gruesome sight, but there was no time to waste. Adam’s breathing was sparse and ragged.

  “Come,” Jude demanded, waving Cleo to come to him. She didn’t shy away from her duties as he thought she would. She moved as quickly as she could to them. Ronan jumped up and grabbed the jug from Cleo’s hands and rushed it to Jude’s side.

  “Hugh?” Adam’s throat gargled as he tried to speak.

  “Aye,” Hugh said clinging to Felix’s side. The boy looked petrified by all that was going on. Jude knew the boy was far too young to understand what was happening.

  “Hugh, love,” Cleo’s soft voice rose above the confusion and chaos. It was as if it were she alone that Jude drew his strength from. “Come with me. Let me show you the plants in these parts that can help your friend.”

  “Ye can do that?” Hugh asked as he drew his eyes off Adam’s limp body. Cleo extended her hand out and nodded. Sighing, Jude realized he would have to thank her for taking his son away from here as he worked on Adam’s wound.

  “What happened?” Jude asked as his eyes flicked to Ronan. Ronan shook his head and shrugged as he glanced to Felix.

  “We were huntin’ in the trees. Spotted a fine doe in the clearin’. Before we fired the bow, an arrow shot out from nowhere,” Felix explained as he knelt beside Adam. Ripping a strap of cloth from Adam’s pants, he dunked it into the jug of water.

  The moment the cold water touc
hed Adam’s flesh, he jolted up and screamed. The sound echoed throughout the valley and made Jude’s heart sink. He knew there wasn’t much time. With wild, frantic eyes, Adam scanned the area around him. Pain crippled his every movement.

  “Where’s the boy?” Adam demanded grabbing onto Jude’s shirt and pulling Jude to him.

  “With Cleo,” Jude said.

  “Is he safe?”

  “Aye, that he is,” Jude asked as panic shot through him. His mouth parted as he stared into his friend’s eyes. “Was the arrow meant for me son?”

  “Aye,” Adam said falling back down. His body twitched as Jude curled his hand around the arrow lodged into Adam’s chest.

  “We need this gone,” Jude said. “Help me toss him over.”

  Ronan was at Adam’s side ready to pull as Jude snapped the arrowhead off. He studied the shape for a moment before tossing it to the fire. Green flames rose up from the fire the instant the arrowhead fell into the coals.

  “Poison,” Felix gasped as he scrambled to Jude to examine his Laird’s hand.

  “Get off me, I’m fine,” Jude said pushing Felix to the side.

  “But–”

  “Nothin’,” Jude scolded. “It is Adam we must focus on. Ask Cleo if she kens of kingsweed. We need to stop the spreadin’ before…” Jude stopped and stared into Adam’s eyes as they turned white. “Nay, daenae leave,” Jude wailed as Adam’s body stiffened before falling limp. Ronan cupped his hand to his mouth and shook his head.

  “That could have been any of us,” Felix whispered as Jude rolled Adam onto his back. Adam’s eyes were wide and fearful. Only a sliver of color remained as if he was looking up to the heavens. Carefully, Jude brushed his hand over Adam’s eyes to close them and leaned back.

  Guilt, sorrow, and anger, all rose to the surface as he stared at Adam’s lifeless body. He pulled in a deep breath as his head whipped up. Sitting beside Cleo he spotted his son. In a flash, he moved to be by Hugh.

  Thank God ye’re alive. I daenae ken what I would do without ye in me life.

  Jude curled his arms around his son’s tiny body and held him close, rocking back and forth as he fought back the tears.

  “Faither?” Hugh looked up through his father’s arms.

  “Hugh, love,” Cleo pressed her hand on Jude’s shoulder. “Tell your father what you told me.”

  Jude instantly pulled back from Hugh and looked him square in the eye. Fear gripped his heart as his son’s eyes dropped to the ground.

  “Out with it, boy,” Jude growled. “What is it ye ken?”

  “Jude,” Cleo’s soft voice broke through Jude’s rage. Realizing the anger that he felt was not meant for his son, he exhaled slowly before pulling in another long deep breath.

  “Forgive me,” Jude said regaining his composure. “Please, son tell me what happened to Adam.”

  Hugh glanced over to Cleo and swallowed hard. “We were goin’ around the bend and spotted the doe. She was magnificent, really, she was. Adam was showin’ me how to aim the bow, usin’ me knuckles and nae the point,” Hugh said in such a hushed voice that Jude had to lean in to hear him.

  “In the distance, we saw a shadow and called out thinkin’ it was Felix, or Ronan, but they dinnae call back. I turned to look at Adam, and before I could take another step, he was pushin’ me down to the ground. And then…” Hugh broke off, his eyes filled with tears as his lower lip quivered.

  Jude glanced over to Cleo as she opened up her arms to the boy. Immediately, he rushed to her for comfort. Cleo patted Hugh’s back trying to calm him down as the boy wept in her arms.

  “Hugh, love,” Cleo said as she dropped to her knees. Hugh raked the back of his hand across his nose as he pulled away. “Did you happen to see who shot the arrow? Maybe tell us how big the stranger was, or if he was skinny?”

  “Aye, he was stout. Nae like Ronan, but thick,” Hugh said. Jude watched as Cleo’s eyes widened.

  “May I speak with you?” Cleo asked Jude as she hugged Hugh.

  “What are yer thoughts?” Jude asked.

  “Not here, not with Hugh like this. He’s been through too much,” Cleo said. “Hugh,” Cleo turned to look at the boy and brushed her fingertips over Hugh’s cheeks. “I need you to go see Felix while I talk with your father. Can you do that for me?”

  Hugh nodded as he glanced over his shoulder to steal a glimpse at Jude. “Go on.”

  Jude and Cleo watched Hugh stumble to Felix as he tried not to look at Adam’s lifeless body. The moment Hugh was out of earshot, Jude moved to Cleo and grabbed her by the arm.

  “What do ye ken about this?” Jude asked.

  “What if this was my father’s doing?” Cleo suggested. “After all, he is not a man who forgets easily or just lets people go. The fact that he released your son so quickly and let you leave the manor unscathed doesn’t make any sense to me. My father is a harsh man.”

  “Ye’re forgettin’ I spoke with yer faither, he showed nay malice with me when I was there. In fact, he seemed pleased I had come for me son.”

  “Then who could have done this? And why would they want to? It makes no sense,” Cleo said shaking her head.

  “Death never makes any sense,” Jude said. “It could have been as simple as us bein’ in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “But you heard Adam,” Cleo said. “He was desperate to know if Hugh was safe. Perhaps the shooter was tryin’ to kill the boy?”

  Panic and alarm shot through Jude’s body. His eyes widened as he tried to push away the thought. Yet there was something in Cleo’s words that struck him to the core of his being. He shifted his attention to Hugh and lifted his chin to the sky.

  “Felix,” Jude glared at his right-hand man. “Daenae leave Hugh unattended for any reason. Guard him with yer life, do ye understand?”

  Felix puffed his chest out and snatched Hugh, drawing the boy to him like a wounded bird. Jude turned to Ronan and sighed deeply.

  “Ronan, I’ll need yer help to bury Adam. I will nae have the birds peckin’ at him and he will slow us down if we take him. I want everyone ready to go once Adam is laid to rest. We will nae stop till we get to the castle. I will nae have anyone else dyin’ today, is that clear?”

  The men grunted and slammed their hands to their chests to give their solemn oath to Jude. Slowly, he turned to Cleo. His heart ached as she stared at him.

  “And me?” she asked stepping to him. Her fingers curled around Jude’s arm as she waited instruction.

  “I need ye to help with Hugh. The more eyes on him the better, at least until we lay Adam down.”

  Cleo nodded as she squeezed his arm. Jude didn’t need to tell her anything more. She released him and moved to Hugh and Felix.

  “Come,” she said pulling Hugh away from the fire. “Let us see if we can catch us some critters. Perhaps a few rabbits?”

  “Stay close,” Jude ordered as pain ripped through him.

  “Of course,” Cleo said with a hint of a smile.

  Jude and Ronan moved to Adam and stared at him for a moment. Ronan’s lip twitched as he swallowed hard.

  “Adam gave his life for me son,” Jude said. “I only wish we had more time, but we must make haste. There is nay tellin’ who is out there watchin’ us now.”

  “Ye think the culprit is still lingerin’ about?” Ronan asked as he scanned the open area.

  “Aye. I daenae think he’ll be attackin’ us out in the open. We will stick to the clearin’. Now help me fetch stones. I daenae want to have his body ravaged by the beasts in these parts.”

  Ronan and Jude spent most of the afternoon gathering the stones around the creek bed and the field. As they dropped the last rock over Adam’s grave, Jude wiped the sweat from his brow and stood before the pile of rocks.

  From the depths of his being, he sang.

  “Of all the comrades that e’er I had,

  They’re sorry for me goin’ away.

  And all the sweethearts that e’er I had,

  T
hey’d wish me one more day to stay.

  But since it falls unto me lot,

  That I should rise and ye should nae,

  I gently rise and softly call,

  Good night, and joy be to ye all.”

  Tears flowed down Jude’s cheeks and he brushed them quickly away. He lifted his head to find Cleo and Hugh standing beside him as Felix and Ronan waited on the other side of the pile.

  “Goodbye, dearest friend,” Jude said before clearing his throat. Straightening his shoulders, he looked to those around him. “We must go, now. We’re nae safe should night come on us.”