All of the people will believe that the curse is broken, so therefore the lands will prosper. No longer would they be able to blame anything on the curse. He also hopes that it will make them follow him more willingly." She could tell that Connor was not only shocked that she was so well informed, but also that he hadn't known some of this. "You see, Connor," she laughed blackly without any humor, "The Campbell has something much darker planned than even you know. He has been dabbling in the black arts, and he plans to sacrifice me on our wedding night, in order to produce his heir through dark magic."
Connor swore through clenched teeth. "And your father agreed to marry you off to this swine? What manner of man would do that to his only daughter?"
She had to lie again, "Umm, I don't think he knew all of this. I only found out when I arrived here."
"And you agreed to this?"
"No! Hell no!" she insisted. "Well, not at first," Mackenzie qualified. "I didn't really have much choice in the matter.
Once it was all explained to me, I sort of agreed, tentatively, but only on the part where I am supposed to distract the 117
Campbell. By then his sorcerers are supposed to send me back before the wedding night."
"Send you back where?"
"Oh, uh, America?" It came out as a question.
"But what of the agreement with your father? The Campbell will na take losing you again so lightly."
"Oh, umm...I don't really know all of the details," she was a horrible liar, so she went back to half-truths, "Besides, they were kind of interrupted mid-way through by this really bossy Highlander who dragged me out of the carriage during their explanation." Mackenzie smiled a tiny smile, hoping Connor would take the teasing in stride, rather than getting angry. He did.
"Hmm...and would you be speakin' of me?"
"I would." Mackenzie grinned. She liked that the topic had shifted slightly away from the lies. "But seriously, Connor, I don't understand his note. It's like it's full of innuendos for you, and not me. Is he the reason those men tried to kill me last night?" She shuddered at that thought. "Is he telling you to back off? Or is he telling me he knows I'm going to side with you?"
"You talk too much." And Connor silenced her with his lips.
It was a very effective distraction. Mackenzie lost her train of thought, and could barely remember to breathe, let alone what she'd been asking him. His lips were warm and soft, and in such contrast with the solid strength of his body. She made a helpless sound in the back of her throat, and pressed herself closer to his strong body. She felt him tighten his hold on her, but was surprised at how gentle his fingers were on 118
her jaw, urging her lips to part. As his tongue stroked hers, stoking the fires he had awakened in her, she gave up on any rational thoughts and just concentrated on not burning to a cinder in the flames he had ignited. Once again, her whole body felt like it was pulsing with heat. When his hand found her breast, she moaned and her legs gave out from under her. If it hadn't been for Connor's strong arm around her, she surely would have melted into a puddle on the ground.
Wow, she thought, two minutes of kissing him and I'm a puddle at his feet. This can't be healthy. But she wanted more. She wanted to feel his skin on hers. She tugged at his shirt, lifting it just enough to put her hands on the small of his back. He inhaled sharply at her tentative touch, then yanked his shirt off in one swift motion. Next, he put his hands to her laces, but before he could pull them loose, he stiffened.
Mackenzie lifted her head and opened her dazed eyes.
"Wha-?"
"Get behind me lass." He breathed in her ear, and pulled her tight to his body so he was shielding her. But from what?
Mackenzie couldn't see or hear anything. She tried to peek under his arm when he lifted his massive sword from the ground. What was going on? Then she heard a twig snap behind her and she froze.
Before she could blink, four men also with giant swords, jumped out from the surrounding trees. It all was so fast, but her eyes took in everything. Connor caught the closest man off guard and sliced his arm off. The sound and accompanying scream were hideous. The man floundered on the ground.
119
Next he fought against two men, all the while he never let go of Mackenzie. The last man looked for an opening to separate Mackenzie from Connor, who had just taken a rough blow to the kidney. One of the two brought his sword up to impale Connor from behind but Mackenzie darted out from Connor's hold, and kicked the man in his groin as hard as she could. She then took a kick boxer's stance and punched him in the nose with the heel of her hand, driving upward. She felt the cartilage break and was instantly queasy. Her heart was pounding in her ears so loudly that it drowned out the sound of his nose crunching. Mackenzie was intensely grateful that she hadn't heard that. Even as the man was still doubled over in pain from the groin kick, she snagged the humongous sword out of his hands, and barely able to lift it, she pressed the blade to his throat. Her back was to Connor, but she could hear noises that sounded like he was killing or mortally wounding the others. Not wanting to see which, she turned her attention back to her captive. He glared at her but spoke.
"My Lady, if ye would but let me speak? My lord Campbell has sent us to rescue ye. Ye will not be harmed. Come, leave with us. We shall see ye safely home to your betrothed."
"As you can see, I am not in any need of a rescue. Send my regards to your master."
Connor whirled around at the man's voice, ready to defend Mackenzie. What he saw was Mackenzie holding a blade to the bleeding man's throat. He felt such relief that she was safe, and a strange swelling of pride that she had defended herself yet again. She was magnificent. A warrior goddess.
Her hair had come unbound, the honey-colored curls were 120
tumbling in the wind, and her cheeks were flushed with the exertion.
"Well done, lass." Connor came to stand by her side.
"Rise," he spoke to their prisoner. The man glared daggers at Connor through his swollen face, but he lurched to his feet, nonetheless. He staggered, but it was just a ploy to retrieve his sword from Mackenzie. Connor moved faster and ran him through before he could touch her.
A scream tore from Mackenzie's throat as she watched his eyes roll back into his head and gag on his own blood. Her fingers involuntarily dropped the sword, and she backed away from him with her hand over her mouth. When she backed into another man, she whirled to face him. It was just Connor. And her adrenaline was gone. He could tell she looked faint; the color was gone from her cheeks and her breathing was coming in shallow gasps. She looked as if just standing was taking all of her energy.
He lifted her into his arms, and carried her back to the training yard where his men seemed oblivious of what had just passed. He never stopped moving as he spoke his order,
"Dougal, Robbie, take the men and search the grounds."
His men wordlessly obeyed, some eyeing the silent girl in his arms. They armed themselves and went for their horses.
"Can you walk?"
"Yes." And he slid her down the length of his body until she stood on her own feet, but he didn't let go. She could feel his heart pounding.
"Are you all right lass?" his voice was thick with emotion and his lilting brogue caressed her ear.
121
Mackenzie just nodded, trying not to spill the tears she so precariously held back. Connor saw her bright eyes and pulled her gently against him, speaking soft unfamiliar words against her temple. Gaelic, she assumed, or Erse, as he'd called it.
Either way, the soft musical words soothed her stretched nerves. He stroked her hair down her back, and finally pulled away enough to tip her face to his and drop a light kiss on her lips.
"I need to join my men..." Connor sounded torn. Did he really want to stay with her? Mackenzie couldn't be sure, but it sounded like that's what he wanted.
"I've never seen anyone die before, and now since last night..." Mackenzie couldn't finish her sentence without seeing their lifeless faces.
"Sshh...I ken. This is why women stay home instead of fighting. But woe befall any man who comes at you, lass. You were magnificent," his voice was that of awed respect. He smiled and ran his fingers down her cheek before grudgingly walking toward the stables for his horse. But he hadn't even made it halfway there, before his second in command rode up to him. They spoke in low intense tones, but they could have shouted for all Mackenzie could understand; it was in Erse.
Connor's whole body stiffened, and then he glared murderously at Mackenzie. She'd never seen him look like that, even when he'd been fighting; he'd never had such a steely, flinty look in his eyes. He said something to his man, and never taking his eyes from Mackenzie's confused expression, he strode back towards her.
122
"You lied to me lass." His words carried an unmistakable threat with the seductive burr she'd become so familiar with.
"I did no such thing." She said warily. He was so angry and she had no idea why. "What do you think I lied to you about?"
Now she was not only confused, but she was a little frightened; he was really mad at her.
Connor gripped her upper arm painfully, and reached his hand down the bodice of her gown. Ignoring her indignant gasp, Connor pulled the amulet she'd been given out from her cleavage and snarled at her,
"Then what, pray tell, is this?"
"An amulet. I was told that it was my only way out of this,"
Mackenzie shrugged; she didn't see where he was leading her with this.
"'Tis the crest of the Campbell. Only a Campbell may wear it, and 'tis given to a bride only after the marriage is consummated." She could see that his anger was barely controlled by the tightly clenched jaw muscles. "You lied to me."
It all hit her at once; the strain of what she had just seen, and what he was saying, accusing her of. Her eyebrows shot to her hairline, "You can't seriously think that I slept with him?!" She could see from the set of his jaw and the flash in his eyes that he could. "I've never even met him!" Connor was towing her behind him to the door that entered the Great Hall. "Connor, you kidnapped me within hours of crossing into this time. You kidnapped me! You were there! Connor..."
They had entered the castle by now, and he was dragging her to the tower stairs, to her room.
123
"Connor, think about it! Why would I do—-"
"Enough of your lies!" He yelled at her, cutting her off.
She cringed back away from his black fury. The tears that had been threatening to spill earlier now fell silently down her cheeks. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," she couldn't make her voice above more than a whisper.
He gritted his teeth, speaking through them, "I almost believed you!"
Connor shoved her roughly into her room, where she stumbled before righting herself, and he slammed the door.
She turned against the cool wood and pressed her forehead to the door. While she yanked the unforgiving handle, Mackenzie heard him shout to someone named Robbie that she was not to leave, and no one was to come in apart from Bronwyn or himself. She heard him stomp away, listening until she couldn't hear the echo of his boots. Only then did she finally crumple to the floor and cried her eyes out.
[Back to Table of Contents]
124
Chapter Eleven
He left her alone for almost three days, with only Bronwyn coming in with her meals, and once a bath. Bronwyn hardly spoke to her, but on the second day, she placed a book on the table for Mackenzie, and with a sympathetic look over her shoulder, she left her alone again. She was grateful for the distraction the book provided, and her spirits were lifted slightly by the fact that Bronwyn seemed to care enough to bring it to her. But still, she felt unwanted and unwelcome, and while she and Connor had never spoken aloud their feelings, she'd thought that besides the mutual attraction, that they were at least becoming friends. She was wrong. She was nothing more than a tool; a means to an end. And she'd been naive enough to stay willingly. Well, that would change.
Mackenzie thought about climbing out the tower window, but after one look down, realized that it would be impossible.
It was a very slick wall with no foot holds and it was way too high to try to shimmy down without the foot holds. Besides that, the castle itself stood on the edge of a cliff, and even if she could shimmy down, she'd have to swim for it.
She thought about just walking out the door, but the glimpses she'd caught of her guard had her rethinking that plan. He was nearly as tall as Connor, but bigger, burlier. He reminded her of a lumberjack; just really big. At one point she realized that she had become a helpless damsel in distress, and she hated that fact. There had to be something she could do to free herself. If she could only talk to Connor 125
and explain everything. Mackenzie sat down and tried to figure the best way to go about this. Apart from their mutual attraction, they had nothing in common; Mackenzie didn't know if Connor even liked her for crying out loud! The only thing she was certain of was that Connor wanted her. He just found her desirable. Her face twisted with pain at the thought that he could very well sleep with her and think nothing more of it than that. And she really knew very little about him. She didn't like how much she cared about what he thought of her; it was unnerving.
Her dreams became more and more vivid during her isolation. The one familiar nightmare now had some new twists. She also had some new dreams, and these were getting progressively more frightening. The first night, it was just the familiar fears of knowing she was going to die that had her screaming into her pillow. The second night, there was the addition of Connor staring at her from the opposite side of the room, and she was afraid for Connor this time, rather than herself. And that fear for Connor only grew stronger and stronger with each recurring dream. She had that same dream several times that night, so she figured that there must be some significance to Connor's appearance. It was especially strange since she'd been having that same dream since she was an adolescent, and never once had it deviated from the same plot. Connor's starring role confused her. Why was he there at all? And she'd always known that her death was a given. Did his presence in her dream mean that he was going to be killed too?
126
Mixed into her nightmares were other, more unwelcome dreams; dreams that also starred Connor. In these dreams, however, she was in his arms, and his touch was gentle, his expression tender. These dreams only made Mackenzie frustrated and angry. More often than not, she woke with hot tears streaming down her face. She knew she was attracted to him, but these dreams left her with the feeling of emptiness, knowing that he didn't even like her at all. He hated her now, for some unknown reason. For her unconscious mind to show her that she desired him to care for her made her angry with herself, and mad at him for being so unfair.
She had to do something to keep from going insane. She wanted to try to escape, but even if she miraculously found a way to break out, she didn't know where she could go. Maybe she could play a prank on her babysitter? She thought about all the things her brother used to do to her when they were kids, and an idea formed.
The first night, she feigned an illness, and when her guard ran down to call for help, Mackenzie took advantage of the situation and sprinted out into the hallway. Unfortunately, though, he hadn't actually left, he just stood at the top of the stairs and hollered down for Bronwyn. Before he could see her, she darted into the next room, and pressed her back against the door with a sigh of relief. She looked around the room and came eye to eye with a hostile pair of brown eyes!
She was in someone else's room, and that particular someone else was in bed with a man!
She was taken back to her room, and it was humiliating.
127
The next time, she asked her guard if she might have some needlepoint, or mending that needed to be done.
Robbie brought her some of Connor's mending, and Mackenzie stitched one shirt together, one she shorted a sleeve by a couple of inches, and she cut the sleeves off of one entirel
y. See him wear these!
Yet even after all of her annoying and admittedly childish pranks, Connor never came up to see her. Mackenzie had thought that cutting the sleeves off his shirt would have brought him in here itching for a fight. But he was still ignoring her. And that bothered Mackenzie much more than it should.
So after two and a half days of nothing but her own thoughts and the inevitable dreams for company, Mackenzie was exhausted, and annoyed, and confused, all at the same time. Annoyance at Connor primarily won out. After all, it was his fault that she was alone with her stupid fantasies. She squared her shoulders and decided that Connor could go to hell! The next time the Campbell sent an attack party, she would go with them, sticking to the original plan of staying with him. And screw Connor MacRae! Maybe then he'd realize she wasn't part of this stupid scheme.
The door opened, but instead of Bronwyn, Connor stepped in! But she forced herself not to care. Rather than the speech she'd had planned for him the day before, her new decision to ignore him fresh in her mind, Mackenzie stared at him without smiling, stood and walked to the window, her back to Connor.
"You'd do well to never turn your back on an enemy."
128
That broke through Mackenzie's newfound resolve, "And is that what you are, Connor? My enemy?" she turned agonized eyes on him.
He stared into her wide eyes for a moment before answering, "You have made it necessary."
Cryptic, great. "Nice, Connor. I have no ulterior motives.
Believe the bad guys." She sighed, "Whatever. So to what do I owe the great honor of your presence? I was under the impression that I was to rot away in here until the next century."
"A lady should no' use sarcasm." His eyes narrowed.
"I'm no lady." She sat down on the chair closest to the window, and sat on her purse! She'd forgotten about her purse, how could she forget her purse? And all the fun 21st century toys she had! Oh well, it didn't matter. The way he was behaving, she didn't care anymore about what Connor thought; or so she told herself. "So, I repeat, why are you here?"
Highland Destiny Page 10
