"Ye did all this yerself? Without the aid of servants?"
"I have an arrangement with several of the villagers. They work here on occasion in exchange for goods, mostly food and ale. But at night they return to their homes."
Maev's eyes widened in surprised. "If they are working in the daytime, how can ye communicate with them and give them instructions?"
"The rain." Callum made a satisfied sound. "The other beauty of this Highland retreat is that there are far more wet days than sunny ones. I have found that if I am careful, I can be out-of-doors for short periods of time when the clouds are thick and the rain falls steadily."
Callum lit the large square candle that rested in a brass stand, further illuminating the bedchamber. A massive wardrobe stood across from the great bed. Maev began unpacking her clothes, making use of nearly all the hooks inside the wardrobe. She had been reluctant to take the many lovely gowns she had sewn with her mother in happier times, but now Maev was glad that Callum had insisted she bring them. They fit in well with her new, lovely surroundings.
Just as she was putting away the last of her garments, Callum returned to the chamber, carrying a matching basin and jug filled with warm water and a tray holding ale, goblets, a thick, dark bread, and cheese. After a quick wash, Maev set out to do justice to the simple fare, consuming every last morsel.
Callum watched her with amusement twinkling in his eyes, and she noted he ate nothing and drank sparingly. When the meal had ended, she became acutely aware of the man seated across from her.
His masculine presence seemed to fill the room, dominating the very air Maev breathed. Her pulses raced, her heart began to pound, and it seemed as if the strength of his body reached out to embrace her.
He held out his hand. "Come to me."
It was a lover's request, and the look he gave her made her feel as if her bones were melting. He opened his thighs, and she stepped willingly between them. Then his arms slowly tightened until every inch of their bodies touched.
Their gazes held for a long moment. "I can scarcely believe I am here with ye," Maev whispered.
"Aye. There were times I thought I'd eat myself alive with wanting for ye, Maev McGinnis. Are ye finally ready to become my wife?"
"More than ready," she replied.
Callum's mouth came down on hers with an aching tenderness. Maev pressed herself closer as his hot, hungry lips sent tiny tremors through her. Callum parted her lips with the tip of his tongue and thrust inside with slow, insistent strokes.
He tasted her, devoured her, and she responded in kind.
"Ye canna know how much I need ye, Maev." His voice was a raw plea that spoke of years of need and years of denial.
Maev's hands came up to glide over his chest, and he lifted her in one strong movement, settling her in his lap. She felt the hot, teasing lick of his tongue against her neck, and her nipples peaked of their own volition. The feeling of excitement that rose up inside her was so strong it felt as if she were being carried along on a tidal wave.
His hand worked quickly at the laces of her gown, and Maev soon felt a draft of air across her chest as Callum pulled the garment free of her upper torso.
"My beautiful Maev," he whispered, stroking the lush roundness.
Maev cried out when Callum lowered his mouth to suckle at her breast, his tongue tormenting her with slow, steady strokes. At the same time, his hand reached down to touch the softness between her thighs. A great shudder ran through Maev as the heat from his hand seeped into her body.
Maev shifted restlessly on his lap, briefly shutting her eyes. It was almost too much. Callum's lips worshipped her; his hands drove the longing inside her to a fever pitch.
"Straddle me," Callum whispered before nipping at the sensitive flesh of her exposed neck.
Maev licked her lips in anticipation, then opened her thighs and slid her knees on either side of his hips.
"Like this?" she purred wantonly.
Callum growled his response, positioning the tip of his erect penis on her slick opening. Slowly he surged up inside her. Maev felt full to bursting, but there was no pain, only a deep, lovely fullness. She suppressed the urge to scream with excitement, fearing her cries would startle Callum and he would cease what he was doing to her.
"Yer sheath is so tight, my love, I fear I'm hurting ye," Callum groaned.
"I dinna feel any pain," Maev panted. "'Tis glorious. I want more."
Callum's eyes closed briefly and he moaned. Then his hands slid down from her waist to grasp her hips. Maev pushed herself down swiftly while at the same time Callum thrust upward. She felt a sharp stab of pain but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a shimmering taste of joy.
With her maidenhead finally breached, she was stretched fully and was able to meet Callum's next thrust. The heat within her soared higher and higher with each shift of their bodies. The pleasure soon reached a frantic pitch, and Maev's arms tightened around him, her heart aching with joy as she held her beloved against her.
Callum's breathing grew ragged and hoarse, then he cried out and stiffened. Maev could feel his seed enter her body, and it triggered a spasm of release deep within her. Her body shook, and tears of joy fell from her eyes.
One. At last, they were one.
They clung to each other for several long minutes. Then, Callum swung her off his lap and into his arms and strode across the chamber. He lowered her onto the bed and came down over her, his breathing still unsteady.
"I would never have believed it, but Maev, my love, 'twas more than worth the wait."
Maev laughed with embarrassment and buried her face in his chest, breathing in his wonderful, potent male scent, feeling the dampness of his flesh against her burning cheeks. He was all hard muscle and brute strength, and yet beneath it all she felt the tender caress of his love, the essence of his caring and regard for her. Only her.
What they had just shared was a mating so physically intense, so emotionally charged, it went beyond description. It was as if he had been inside her spirit as well as her body.
Maev shifted her face to gaze at her lover. Their eyes met with unspoken thoughts, and she knew he felt the same about their lovemaking. It made her shiver. The realities of the world seemed to fade in that moment Maev wrapped her arms around Callum's shoulders, hugging him closer.
Her eyelids grew heavy as exhaustion overtook her body and mind. Cuddled against Callum's strong chest, Maev began to drift off to sleep. Yet in her heart and mind she took great delight in knowing that no matter what happened in the future, this perfect, tender, loving moment could never be taken from either of them.
Chapter Six
The weeks and months passed swiftly, and they were the happiest of Maev's life. During the daylight hours, she often lay in Callum's arms, experiencing his passion and generous lovemaking. At night, they roamed their castle fortress, making repairs, sharing chores, delighting in being together.
A few days each week, several of the people inhabiting the scattered cottages in the area would arrive at the castle, looking for work. Once the word spread that there was a female in residence, women began to appear. They offered cooking and cleaning help, and with an eye toward their future needs, the ever-practical Maev set up a weaving hut. In exchange for their labors, each woman was paid with a bolt of fine wool cloth.
Though they kept a slightly suspicious distance, Maev enjoyed the company of these women. They were respectful, and curious about her and Callum, but they kept their questions to themselves. It seemed that everyone in the area had something they wished to keep hidden, and it created a strange, unspoken bond between them all.
It was Callum, however, who provided the true joy in Maev's life. With each passing day, she knew she was falling more and more in love with him. Thanks to the healing power of this love, it no longer hurt so much to remember the past They shared memories of their childhood, her mother, and the life they had left behind. Though it took time, Maev was even able to find forgiveness for
the members of the clan McGinnis who had cast her out.
The abundance and variety of fresh food made a marked improvement on Maev's health. The hollows in her cheeks disappeared; the color returned to her complexion. She was grateful for this second chance at sharing a life with her beloved, yet deep down there was a slight nagging sense of incompleteness.
Though Callum seemed the same in every way, Maev was all too aware that he was not the man she had known. He never took nourishment in front of her, but she was very aware of his need for fresh blood. While it did not precisely repulse her—after all, she, too, had killed animals to survive—it did set her on edge because it was a stark reminder of the vast difference between them.
A difference that would separate them for eternity.
"Callum, I have thought long and hard and have at last made my decision. I want ye to make me as ye are—I want to become an immortal."
At the sound of her voice, Callum lifted his head. They lay side by side in their massive bed, sated and content after a vigorous bout of making love. He had been drifting off into a peaceful dreamless sleep until Maev's words had startled him fully awake.
She wanted to become like him?
He blinked and turned away from her, scanning their bedchamber with dead eyes. "Ye're talking nonsense, Maev," Callum said in a flat tone. "I'll hear no more of it."
She tugged on his arm until he was forced to turn his head and face her.
"'Tis not a whim, nor a passing fancy. I knew it's serious. I know once it happens, there will be no going back." Maev's mouth twisted, and her grip on his arm tightened. "I also know 'tis the only way for us to be together. Forever."
Callum held his breath. Her voice was slightly roughened, and he sensed a tension in her he had never seen before. "Maev, 'tis impossible."
Her eyes brightened with tears. "Ye canna deny me, Callum. Ye canna deny yerself. Deep inside ye must know 'tis the right thing to do."
He felt her trembling and it amazed him. She was serious! She was willing to sacrifice everything, even her humanity, just to be with him. Never had Callum felt so humbled.
He leaned over and dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. "I thank ye from the bottom of my heart for yer selfless gesture of love. But I willna do it, Maev. I canna do it!"
"Why? Dinna ye know how?"
"Of course I do."
"Then prove it."
Callum looked at her in frustration, almost laughing at the irony. "I'm not a green lad to be taunted into proving his skills."
Something gleamed in her eyes, and she reached out to take Callum's hands in hers. "And I'm not a foolish lass with a head full of wool. I'm a woman. Yer woman. And I never want to be parted from ye."
The determined set of her jaw let him know how serious she was about the matter. "I canna believe that anyone would willingly embrace this fate," Callum muttered.
"Believe it, for it is the truth."
There was a long silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Finally Callum slipped a possessive arm about her and drew her close to his side, loving the feel of her against his bare flesh. "Ye have given me the most precious gift of all, Maev."
"My love?"
"Nay, yer trust."
Her arms tightened around his neck and they kissed. After a moment, Maev lifted her head and gazed at him. "I'm ready. Will ye do it now?"
"Soon," he replied reassuringly, trying to bury any of his lingering doubts. "But there is one mystery we will need to solve. We dinna knew where ye were born. If I convert ye to an immortal, ye must live within a hundred miles of the soil of yer birth or else take along at least a pound of it to keep in yer sleeping area."
"But I dinna know where that soil lies," Maev cried in distress. "What will happen to me if I dinna follow this dictate?"
"Ye will grow very weak and sick."
Maev let out a great sigh of frustration. "It seems that my true origins will continue to rule the direction of my life," she said in a bitter tone. "Is there nothing we can do?"
Callum frowned thoughtfully. "We could discover where ye were born."
"After all these years?" Maev ran a hand through her tangled blond hair. "How?"
"Once ye are converted, yer weakness will come on gradually. The moment it happens, we will begin traveling to the location where ye were found as a babe. From there, we will plot our course carefully, going south. Yer strength will return as we get closer to the place of yer birth, so if ye do not improve, we will return to where we started and head east If that yields no results, we will head west. Eventually we will discover where ye were born."
Maev's expression turned uncertain. "Then what?"
"We dig up a pound of dirt. Or better, two pounds." Callum began to smile as he realized the plan could work. "We can store the soil in the corner of our bedchamber. It's close presence will keep ye from falling ill."
Maev looked stunned. "I'll have to keep dirt in our lovely bedchamber?"
Callum laughed and shook his head. "I canna believe that is what worries ye most about taking this step and giving up yer human life." He laughed again and hugged her close. "I'll find a beautiful chest, inlaid with gold and precious gems, to store the soil, so yer senses will not be offended."
Her eyes opened wide. "I have no need of such rich excess. A plain wooden chest will be fine. But I dinna understand how we can enact this plan? I fear if we leave our home unprotected for more than a night or two, we will return to find our larders emptied and everything of value within these walls taken from us."
"No one will enter the castle when we are gone. The locals all believe it to be cursed."
"Because of ye?" Maev asked.
"Nay. The property was abandoned and in a state of great disrepair when I stumbled upon it last year. When I asked one of the fishermen why no one lived there, he told me that all the former inhabitants had died from a pox and any others who attempted to take up residence within these walls suffered the same fate."
"Will they not become suspicious because ye and I have not fallen ill?" Maev asked.
"Perhaps." Callum shrugged. "Or they might believe the spell has been broken, but they are too frightened to test the theory just yet. And that serves our purposes very well."
Maev cast him a satisfied look. "Then we can proceed."
A chill of foreboding ran down his spine. She spoke so casually, but he could tell she was apprehensive. A niggling sense of guilt held fast to his conscience, but the truth was that he wanted to keep Maev with him as long as possible. She was the only female in the world who would never ask more of him than he could give. An unselfish woman who would never betray his love.
How could he possibly refuse her most precious gift to him?
Callum slid his hands beneath Maev's hips, pressing her tighter against him. The heat from her body caused an instant tightening of his groin, but he tamped down his desire. He did not want to associate this moment with physical pleasure, though in a strange, twisted way it was an act of love. A pure demonstration of Maev's love for him.
"Are ye certain?" he asked.
"Yes." Her smile was bright, luminescent.
He nodded. Then with slow deliberation, he caressed the sensitive flesh along her neck, making certain he knew the exact spot to strike that would cause her the least amount of pain. Maev whimpered for an instant, and he lightened his touch.
At that moment she was more beautiful to him than she had ever been before, facing her fears, sacrificing everything for their love. As he continued his caress, Maev clutched his shoulders and arched against him, her head tipped back, pink lips parting, eyes closed.
Sinking his teeth sharply into her neck, Callum gave himself up to the moment that seemed to devour them both. Maev let out a short, startled cry, and he felt her warm breath against his ear as she murmured his name over and over again.
He held her in his arms until she quieted, then he eased away from her and slipped out of their bed. She looked small and fragile lying alone
on the large mattress, her knees curling in toward her stomach. Callum tucked the furs around her, then brushed a kiss across her brow.
"Rest easy, my love," he whispered.
As he straightened, Callum's head felt light. He placed his hand on one of the wooden bedposts to steady himself. When his balance returned, he reached for his robe. Shrugging into the garment, he retreated to a shadowy corner of the bedchamber. Sighing heavily, he dropped to his haunches, his eyes pinned to the bed as he waited for Maev to die.
When she awoke, Maev felt no difference in her body or her mind, but the weakness Callum had warned her about quickly appeared. When she told an anxious Callum, he immediately made preparations for their journey. After securing the castle and making arrangements for the care of their livestock, they left as darkness fell.
They traveled by moonlight, wending their way down the mountainside, through a valley, then into a dense woods that rustled with the sounds of autumn leaves. Maev remained tired and lethargic, at times almost falling asleep while seated on her horse. Callum took great care to ensure she never lagged too far behind and he even tied her reins to his saddle.
They made camp well before dawn rose each morning. If no cave or abandoned shelter could be found, Callum erected a small tent of thick, heavy fabric that effectively blocked the rays of the sun. After taking nourishment, they slept, wrapped in each other's arm.
Late one evening, a full week after their journey began, they came upon a long wall snaking across the landscape.
"What is it?" Maev asked.
"Hadrian's Wall," Callum replied. "Twas built by the Romans over a thousand years ago to separate the civilized from the barbaric."
Maev frowned and Callum laughed. "The Scots and the English," he clarified.
"I suppose we were considered the barbarians," Maev said with an indignant huff.
"We still are an uncivilized lot, especially in the Highlands, where a man wields a double-edged claymore as though it were an extension of his arm," Callum said, his eyes brimming with amusement. "We march into the Lowland farms to raid for crops and animals and the chieftains in the southwest attack the Anglo-Norman strongholds across the border.
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