Falling for the Chieftain: A Time Travel Romance (Enchanted Falls Trilogy, Book 3)

by Keira Montclair

  “Your brother. Are you going to his assistance?”

  His gaze caught hers and she wished to scream at him, pummel his chest, slap his head from the side, but she wouldn’t do so in front of his men, his clanmates. “Lass, I told ye I wouldnae. I gave ye my reasons. Naught has changed since then.”

  She nodded, unable to speak. The biggest lump she’d ever felt had lodged in her throat.

  If he would allow his brother to die, he was not the man she’d believed him to be.

  One foot stepped mechanically in front of another as she forced her way into the stables. A stable lad tried to stop her, but she grabbed one of the horses that had been prepared for the men, then made her way to the mounting block and climbed atop the horse.

  She tugged on the reins and the horse took her through the gates. She heard Brann yelling at her, but she ignored him, spurring the horse forward.

  She was headed to the pool.

  “I’m coming home, Hannah and Caroline.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Brann was furious. He mounted his horse and shouted instructions before he went through the gate. “Angus, send a patrol of twenty men across our land. Ye’re to stay here and protect the castle, but prepare another force of a hundred men to await further instructions from me and me only.”

  “Hamish took one hundred. That puts them all to use. Ye are headed after her?”

  “Aye, so she’ll no’ get herself killed.”

  He headed toward the faerie pool, but even though he rode hard and fast, there was no sign of her. He traveled for what seemed like forever without seeing even a glimpse of another horse. How had she managed to get so far ahead of him? “Allison!”

  She’d warned him, of course, but he’d hoped to call her bluff. A Highlander’s pride was no small thing, and he couldn’t simply lay it aside. Allison didn’t understand that, but Taran would. He was quite sure his brother wouldn’t want his help.

  It didn’t matter that Taran only had about a hundred guards while he had over three hundred.

  Or that the guards who’d chosen to go with his brother had been the youngest.

  Or that many had come from Clan MacDonnell, which meant they were not well trained.

  Or that Taran had only been training them for a month.

  A month…

  Allison finally came into sight. He managed to gain on her a little, so he pushed all thoughts of his brother out of his mind, instead focusing on Allison.

  They were closer than he’d thought. Before he knew it, they’d be there. If he didn’t go any faster, he’d have to dive in and yank her out because he’d never allow her to leave him.

  Never.

  He loved her. True, he hadn’t told her so, but she had to know how he felt. The night after the festival, he’d tried to show her how much he loved her, expecting to surprise her with his tenderness, but he was the one who’d been surprised.

  He’d almost orgasmed just from watching her climax. When had that ever happened before?

  Hellfire, but she’d cast a spell on him from the very beginning, enchanting him with strong feelings he didn’t fully comprehend.

  “Allison, stop!” He brought his horse up next to hers and she turned toward him, tears covering her cheeks. She shook her head and plunged forward.

  He had no choice. Leaping from his horse, he dove toward her, knocking her to the ground with a thud. He rolled to try to take the blunt of the fall, pulling her on top of him, and they landed together. She didn’t waste any time before getting up and running away toward the pool. It wasn’t far away.

  “Stop, will ye no’? Can we no’ discuss this?”

  Her shoulders shook with another sob, but she didn’t turn around. “Allison, I love ye. Please dinnae do this.” He had to convince her somehow. If she needed words, he’d give them to her. As long as she didn’t ask him for the one thing he could not do.

  The one thing he would not do.

  She spun around and charged toward him, surprising him because she shoved him in the chest. Hard. “I just told ye I love ye and this is how ye react? Ye hit me?”

  “I didn’t hit you. I pushed you away.”

  “Why? Talk to me, please.”

  “Why? Because you’re a stupid, stubborn man. You know what I want you to say. I’m happy you love me, but it won’t matter if I have to go back, will it?”

  “Stay. I dinnae want ye going back. Why, after all we shared, would ye walk away?”

  “You don’t understand, do you?” she asked, squeezing his arms and giving him a wee shake. “You didn’t believe what I said about your brother, so you just dismissed it…dismissed me.”

  “Nay, I dinnae. Tell me.”

  “How can I love a man who won’t make any effort to save his brother’s life? Or haven’t you considered that he might die today? Your brother could be killed, and all his men, and you’re too proud to help him.”

  “He doesnae want me there.”

  “You think not? How would you feel in his position? Would you be so proud that you’d allow all your people to die rather than ask your own flesh and blood for help?”

  “Nay, I wouldn’t risk others’ lives for my own foolishness.” Hell, why did she bring up so many good points?

  “Have you thought to ask him? No, your foolish pride is in your way. You’re too worried that you’ll look weak. You think the world expects you to never speak to him again because he betrayed you. No, we don’t. Many of us expect you to forgive the poor man.”

  “He’d be offended if I did ask him. Yer reasoning is that of a lass, not of a warrior.”

  “So you do think he’d risk all of his clanmates’ lives?”

  “Nay, I dinnae, but it hasnae reached that level yet.”

  “You’re not there, so you have no way of knowing. You must really trust Sinclair then.”

  All of a sudden, he had a sick feeling deep in his belly that she could be right. What if the bastard Sinclair had brought his men and two hundred more to kill all of Taran’s people and take over his land? MacKay land. He’d told Sinclair he did not care what happened to his brother. He’d as much as admitted he’d be no threat to Sinclair if he attacked…The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The bastard had set him up. He’d never wanted him as an ally. He’d only wanted confirmation that he would not be stopped.

  “Dinnae go. I’m begging ye to stay with me. I’ll marry ye. We’ll have our own bairns.”

  “I can’t. I will not marry a man I don’t respect.” She twirled around and ran toward the pool. “I thought I loved you, Brann,” she called over her shoulder, “but I was wrong. I was so wrong that you’ve torn my heart in two and stomped on it.”

  She finally came to the edge of the pool, and he couldn’t do anything more than watch as she lifted her woolen gown over her head. She stood in front of him with naught on but her chemise, her beauty nearly taking his breath away. Climbing onto a rock, she dipped her feet into the water. Then she stepped into it, moving away from the side so she could dip her shoulders underneath the surface.

  And he was in shock as he watched her hold her breath and dip down into the water.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Allie spun around to take one last look at her gorgeous Highlander, at this person who’d made her feel both wanted and needed. She had two purposes here: to love and cherish him and act as a caregiver to his entire clan.

  Her mind was made up. Even though she had no idea if this would even work, she had to try. So furious with the stubborn man, she wanted more than anything to be reunited with her sisters. She held her breath and dropped to her knees in the water, hoping the magic would take hold.

  “Nay!” Brann’s voice carried through the water as he grabbed her arm, pulling her back up out of the pool. He had to fall to his knees in order to reach her.

  Her head nearly underwater, he pulled her back up and she yelled at him. “Let me go!”

  “Nay, I’ll no’ let ye go. Ever. Can ye no’ se
e we’re meant for each other?”

  “No. I can’t love a man who would turn his head while his brother’s clan is massacred.”

  She was close enough to see his jaw clench in frustration, but his grip didn’t loosen and his eyes looked plaintive and remorseful. He meant what he said. His next words couldn’t have surprised her more.

  “I’ll go. Just promise me ye willnae.”

  She stared at him, wondering if he was being truthful. “You will? You’ll help your brother?”

  “Aye, I’ll help my brother. I’ll swallow my foolish pride and go to him. For ye, if ye promise me ye’ll stay.”

  “And you’ll forgive him?” She’d never wanted to believe anyone more. It had taken all of her strength to close her eyes and drop to her knees. She didn’t want to leave him.

  “I’ll forgive him. I promise. Now will ye promise me ye’ll not go back? That ye’ll marry me?”

  “Will you help me look for my sisters? I know it’s a long shot, and they’re probably not even here, but I won’t forgive myself if I don’t keep looking.”

  He heaved a sigh. “God’s bones, lass. I’m on my knees in front of ye, trying to keep a grip on ye so ye willnae disappear on me. I’ve said I love ye. I’ve asked ye to marry me. Can ye no’ see I mean what I say? That I’d do whatever ye ask of me?” He lifted her out of the water with a roar and sat down on a huge boulder, settling her on his lap. “Aye, I’ll marry ye, help ye look for yer sisters, and forgive my brother. I’ll go to assist him myself. Shite, but ye’re a demanding woman.”

  She smiled and cupped his face. “I love you, and I’ll stay. Did you mean it when you said you loved me?”

  “Ye need to ask me that? Would I have followed ye here? Would I have changed my entire world around if I didn’t? Woman, must I say it again?”

  She snickered and nodded her head. “Yes.”

  “As ye wish. I love ye, Allison Sutton, more than I ever thought possible. Ye make me daft, so it must be love. Will ye marry me?”

  “Yes…aye…absolutely.”

  He kissed her and she sighed because she loved the taste of this man so much.

  “Come. I’m starting to have a bad feeling about my brother. We have nae time to waste. Don yer gown and let’s go.”

  He helped her dress and lifted her onto her horse. She was grateful it was a warm day, or she would have been freezing in her damp clothes.

  He led the way, setting a fast pace, but stopped outside his keep and said to Angus, “Gather me a hundred men of the two hundred ye have. Leave the rest to protect the castle. Have ye heard anything about Taran?”

  “Only that he’s under attack.”

  “We’re going to assist him. I’d have ye stay behind, Allison, but I think we may need ye. Just do yer best to stay out of the way when we get there.”

  They headed toward Taran’s land, riding side by side at the front of the group of warriors, guards strategically placed around Allison.

  Adrenaline coursed through Allie’s system, and she found herself mentally reviewing everything that had happened to bring them here. Their conversation at the pool. Lachie’s sickness. The events at the festival…the festival. Something strange stood out to her. Something she should have recalled before now.

  The man who’d taken her captive had said only one word. Shit.

  Only one word, yes, but it was a telling word. She’d definitely heard it as shit, not shite. People from medieval times said shite. Was it possible? Her thoughts were foolish, so she shook her head to clear them away.

  But there was no time to dwell on it. They arrived on Taran’s land, and it was a bloody battlefield. She’d never seen so many dead in one area. Some men were sliced clear across their bellies, their intestines visible, their eyes dull and staring at the sky. Some bodies had an arrow protruding from their hearts, from their necks. Anywhere.

  Brann’s face was twisted with guilt, but fury and determination quickly overtook those other emotions, transforming him once more into the fierce Highlander the others rightfully feared. Brann waved her back.

  “Do not go in the keep. They may have already taken it. Find a set of trees off to the side and stay hidden. I’ll find ye when this is over.”

  Allie didn’t hesitate to get out of the way. She’d never seen anything so horrifying.

  Saying a quick prayer for the massacre to stop, she found what she thought would be a safe area in a copse of trees, well hidden from the melee of warriors.

  She turned around to take one last look at the battlefield, hoping to see Brann. She found him up near the front of the battlefield. Taran was there, too! And, thank God, the MacKay plaids now outnumbered the enemy. The other plaids were mostly Sinclair plaids. Just as they’d suspected.

  That was her last thought before she was taken. A random horse came galloping out of the woods, and the rider grabbed her around the waist, tossed her over his horse, and took off back toward the woods.

  Brann would have absolutely no idea where she’d gone.

  ***

  Brann unsheathed his sword and let out the MacKay warrior whoop as he made his way toward the front of the battlefield, cutting down any man who stood in his way.

  As soon as he made it to the battle line where defender met attacker, he searched the area for his brother and finally found him fighting front and center ahead of his men. Despite the number of dead, the warriors who still stood fought hard, evidence of their good training. When Taran dispensed with the Sinclair fool in front of him, he met Brann’s gaze and nodded. The numbers were now in their favor. The massacre would end.

  Brann thrust himself into the battle, swinging his sword with a fierceness he hadn’t possessed in a long time. He didn’t wish to admit the reason why, but truth be told, his brother looked fatigued.

  Three men came at Brann, and he turned his horse just a touch to give himself room to swing a wide arc with his blade, cutting one man across the belly and a second one across his chest with the same swing. He took the third one out with a flat-bladed blow that knocked him to the ground, after which his own comrade’s horse trampled him.

  Then something Brann had always dreaded happened right in front of him. He turned back to his brother and watched as someone cut Taran down, slicing his side. He lost his grip on his sword and fell off his horse, and two of his men quickly fell in around him.

  Brann launched himself at the enemy with a fury he hadn’t known he possessed. He and his men made quick work of the remaining enemy force before the last few still on horseback retreated off the field. He might have chased after the bastards, but he needed to tend to his brother first.

  What a fool he’d been. Allison had been exactly right. He shuddered to think of what could have happened had he not listened to her. This was where he belonged—protecting his brother. Though skilled compared to most warriors, Taran did not have Brann’s natural abilities.

  Yet he’d still fought in the front line, defending his castle as any chieftain should. Brann was proud of him. Reaching Taran, he jumped off his horse and dropped down to his side, barking instructions at the two guards near Taran. His brother’s eyes were closed, and fear nearly choked him.

  He set his hand on Taran’s shoulder and called to him. He didn’t move. Blood had drenched his tunic and began to pool beneath him.

  Pressure, that was what Allison and his mother had always said was best for a wound. He ripped his tunic apart to give him better access to the wound just as two of his men joined him.

  “Angus,” he bellowed as he pressed down on Taran’s wound. “Find Allison. My brother needs her.”

  Taran’s eyes opened and he caught Brann’s gaze. Relief almost choked him. “Many thanks to ye, Brann. ‘Tis over?”

  “Aye, we finished them. A handful retreated on their own, the bastards. I should have been here sooner. My apologies.”

  “Nay.” Taran reached for his hand. “I hurt ye, but I hoped ye’d heal with time. I knew ye had nae feelings for her, but I went abo
ut it the wrong way. Ye were right to be angry with me. But I’m grateful for my clan that ye came to our aid.”

  “Sinclair’s men did this. Did ye see any other plaids?”

  “Aye, Sinclair and some others I did no’ know. Mayhap reivers he hired.”

  “Save yer breath, Taran.”

  “Nay, tell Shona I love her.” His lids fluttered closed. “I fear I may no’…”

  “Taran. Wake yer lazy arse up. Ye’ll no’ be leaving when I’ve just found my way back. Lachie needs ye, Taran. And so do I. Allison is my betrothed and I want ye at our wedding.”

  His brother opened his eyes long enough to give him a brief smile. “I’m happy for ye…Tell Shona. Dinnae forget…”

  “Ye’ll no’ die. Allison will fix ye up as soon as she gets here.”

  Taran closed his eyes and his hand dropped to his side.

  Angus’s voice called out to him. “Chief, there’s a problem.”

  Brann looked up at his second, hoping to see Allison at his side, but he was alone.

  “Her horse is there, but she’s missing. I cannae find her anywhere.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Allie fought the brute with all her might, kicking, screaming, and scratching everywhere. Then she noticed something.

  The man had a tattoo on his hand, and his arm showed signs of recent scratches, now healing.

  “Stop. I promise not to hurt you,” he said. “Shit, you don’t give up, do you? You’re like a bearcat.”

  He stopped his horse and Allie forced herself to sit up so she could look him square in the eye.

  “Where did you come from? There are no bearcats in Scotland.”

  “My mother,” he drawled, dismounting before he helped her down. “Isn’t that the usual joke from back in our time?”

  He had light brown hair, brown eyes, and a full beard that made him look older than he probably was. Most of all, he look tired and something else—defeated. That was it.