by ML Guida
A mischievous looked flashed in his eyes. He snapped the towel on her behind.
She bumped into the cupboard. “Fergus!”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
She splashed dish water. “Neither could I.”
He looked down at his splattered shirt. “Playful minx, aren’t you?”
She smiled. “Ye have na idea.”
“I could get used to your teasing.” He took a pan that she had washed and dried it.
“And I could get used to ye helping in the kitchen. I have na met many men who would lower themselves to do domestic work.”
He cocked his eyebrow. “Lowered?”
“Oh, I didna mean that. I like this side of ye.” She quickly went back to washing the bowls.
He nuzzled her neck. “And I like this side of you, too.”
She squirmed. “Fergus.”
“Sorry. I’ll go back to drying dishes.”
She emptied the dish water and rinsed her hands. “Are yer brothers like this?”
“You mean cooking and washing dishes?” He chuckled. “No, I’m afraid not.”
She dried her hands on another towel. She put her palms on his broad chest. “Then they donna the way to a woman’s heart.”
His eyes widened. He put down the bowl and before she knew what was happening, he kissed her, crushing her to him. His hungry kiss was like a fire sweeping over her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. She could feel his heart beating as fierce as hers.
His tongue stroked hers. Silky sensations ran down her back. Desire filled her like she never had for a man. This had to be a spell––a spell she was powerless to break.
Chapter 5
Fergus couldn’t get enough of Elspeth. Every time he kissed her, the weariness left him, but it was more than her healing him. Her kindness of wanting to make him his favorite dish touched him like nothing else ever had.
He broke off the kiss. “I’m sorry. Every time I’m around you I lose control.”
She lowered her head. “Yer na the only one.”
Someone cleared their throat.
He jerked his head. His mother stood in the doorway.
“Excuse me,” she said. “I was just coming to check on the pie and clean the kitchen, but look what you two did.” She looked around the kitchen. “My, I’m impressed.”
Elspeth smiled. “Ye didna think I’d leave a mess for ye to clean, did ye?”
“You’re a dear, Elspeth.”
Fergus leaned close. “Mom never lets anyone in her kitchen. She’s very protective of it.”
Elspeth blinked. “I didna know. Mirren, I’m honored.”
“There was something about you, dear. I sensed something special about you.” Mirren’s voice cracked. She took a deep breath. “You warmed my heart that you wanted to cook something for my son. He needs someone to care for him.”
Mirren gripped his hand and squeezed. Tears glistened in her eyes. “You always give yourself to everyone else, son, never thinking of yourself. I’m glad you’ve found someone who gives back to you.”
Fergus’s throat closed up and he didn’t know how to respond. He never realized his mother felt this way.
She turned to Elspeth. “Thank you.” She pressed her palms on Elspeth’s cheeks and kissed her on the mouth. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
Elspeth’s eyes turned wet, but she didn’t answer.
Mirren headed out of the kitchen. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“I didna expect that,” Elspeth said.
He shrugged. “She gets emotional when she talks about her sons.”
She shook her head. “Na, I donna thinks that true. Yer different than yer brothers.”
“My brothers risked their lives for us.”
“But when they use their powers, does it cause them pain?”
He turned his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “Does that really matter?”
“Aye, it does.” She gently clasped his arm. “I’m finding yer a humble man, Fergus. I’ve na many men like ye.”
He glared. “So, I’m a disappointment?”
She didn’t wilt under his stare and concern filled her eyes. “And I’m finding ye donna have faith in yer self. Why is that?”
He clamped his jaw, reliving his childhood wasn’t on his agenda.
“I’m sorry someone hurt ye. If ye want to tell me, let me know. I know what it’s like to be hurt.” She quietly left him alone.
He dropped his jaw, not believing what she’d just said. At every turn, she kept him on his toes. The oven buzzed. He took out the pie that smelled delicious. He put it on the counter. Not knowing what else to do and not ready to chase after her, he quickly made a spinach salad.
His mother walked into the kitchen. “Is there anything wrong?”
“No, why?” He slapped bacon in a frying pan.
She kissed him on the cheek. “Fergus, you are many things, but a good liar isn’t one of them.”
“Mom.”
“I’ll finish making the spinach dressing.” She motioned with her hand. “You need to get out of my kitchen and find Elspeth.”
He looked down at his boots as if the answer were written on them. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Talking to me isn’t it going to make it any easier.” She flicked her hands. “Now, scoot.”
Fergus sighed, but followed his mother’s advice. When he walked out of the kitchen, the table had been set. Lauchlan and Faye were seated at the table.
Lauchlan grinned and clicked his tongue. “Scared her away, did ya?”
Heat burned Fergus’s cheeks. How could he ever hope to win Elspeth’s heart? She probably wanted a warrior like Lauchlan or Rory. He was a fighter, but he wasn’t a warrior. He was a healer.
Faye glared. “Lauchlan.” She tilted her head. “Elspeth likes to go for walks to clear her head. I suspect she’s in the practice yards.”
Fergus nodded gratefully. “Thank you.” He hurried to the main door, trying to ignore his brother’s teasing laughter.
He bounded outside and scanned the yard, but he didn’t see Elspeth. “Damn it!” He headed toward the burned tree and slumped down on the ground. Shade covered the grass. He yanked some out and threw it.
“Having a tantrum?” A soft laugh made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.
He twisted around, but didn’t see anyone. “Elspeth? Where are you?”
“Am I invisible again?”
He put his hands behind his head and leaned against the trunk of the oak. “Well, I don’t see you.”
She exhaled.
A brief wind brushed over his face. Suddenly, darkness blocked Fergus’s vision. Panic clawed up his throat. He waved his hand in front of his face. “Elspeth, I can’t see.” He couldn’t hide the fear in his voice.
“What?”
He turned toward her voice. “You heard me, I can hear you, but I can’t see your beautiful face.”
Hands clasped his face. “I’m right here, Fergus.” She kissed him hard.
His heart threatened to explode. Anger flooded through his veins. He clung to her, afraid to let her go. How could he protect or heal his family if he were blind? Damn, his waning his power. Ian was one step closer of reaching goal of destroying them.
He mesmerized everything about her in his mind––her flaming red hair, high cheek bones, and those bright green eyes. His shoulders slumped. There was no way Elspeth would want a blind dragon.
Elspeth stroked the back of his neck, sending shiver down his spine. “We’ll figure out what to do,” she whispered in his ear.
He broke off the kiss and opened his eyes. His vision cleared. He could make out the shape of her face.
“I can make out your face.”
She kissed him harder. It was determined, demanding, thrilling. He threaded his fingers through her thick hair, not wanting to lose her. She planted kisses on his eyelids.
He shook his
head and the first thing he saw was a pair of worried green eyes.
“Elspeth, you did. I can see.”
“What happened? Why did ye go blind?” She lowered her voice. “Do ye think it was Ian?”
He looked up at the clear sky. “I don’t know. Ian usually announces his presence with lightning and thunder, but according to Jon and Rory, a new player’s in town. So, who knows?”
Elspeth put her arm around his shoulder. “I think we should go inside and tell the others.”
He nodded. “I think you’re right.” His body shook uncontrollably.
“Lean against me.”
“I don’t need any help.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “Stop being a martyr. Yer shaking like a leaf and I’m the only one out here.”
“But you’re a wee thing.”
“I’m stronger than ye think.” She shoved her hip into his. “Now, come on.”
He leaned against her and was surprised how strong she was. She led him back into the castle and to the Great Hall.
Lauchlan’s smile faded when he saw them. He jumped out of the chair and hurried over to them. “What’s wrong?” He flung Fergus’s arm around his shoulders.
“He went blind for a minute.”
Faye pulled a chair out. “Ian?”
“I don’t know,” Fergus said. “But I suspect so. Who else could have blinded me?”
Lauchlan helped him into the chair. “How long did it last?”
“Not for long.” He tilted his head toward Elspeth. “Thanks to her.”
“Did you feel anything strange?” Lauchlan fetched Fergus a pint of ale. “Here drink this.”
Fergus rubbed his forehead. “I felt a warm breath over me, but I swear it was Faye. It didn’t feel evil. Whenever Ian does anything, it feels foul.”
“According to Jon, Marduk the Kamtrinian is a sly one. He might have something to do with this,” Lauchlan grumbled.
Faye studied him. “Did it feel magical or like some kind of technology?”
Fergus drank the ale, trying to think. He replayed what happened over and over his mind.
Mirren walked over to him with a damp cloth. She dabbed his sleek forehead. “If it didn’t feel evil, then I doubt it was Ian or Madame Mthunzi.”
“But Marduk might have some new weapon.” Lauchlan gritted his teeth. “If he can blind us, then he’ll be able to kill us one-by-one.”
Elspeth stepped into the shadows and he gasped. She’d melted away.
“Elspeth, you’re invisible again.”
“No, I’m na. I can see my hand.” She stepped out.
A nagging suspicion drilled into his gut. He didn’t want to think it was true, but he had to know.
He moved away from his mother. “Mom, I’m okay. I want to try something. Lauchlan, are you game?”
“I guess,” he said slowly.
Fergus held his gaze. “I promise it won’t last.”
Hesitation fluttered in Lauchlan’s eyes. “Okay.”
“Elspeth, would you exhale onto Lauchlan?”
Elspeth’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“Just indulge me.” Fergus gave her a weak smile.
Elspeth sighed. “Are ye ready?”
Lauchlan stretched out his arms. “Go ahead, beautiful.”
Faye frowned. “Lauchlan.”
He winked. “Just kidding. I’m just trying to break the tension.”
Elspeth inhaled and exhaled. A faint black some drifted out of her mouth.
Lauchlan’s smile died and pressed his hands over his eyes. “What did you do to me?” He whirled around. “I can’t see.”
Faye rushed over. She grabbed his arms and shook him. “Lauchlan, Lauchlan. Stop. It’s me.”
Tears streaked down his face. “Baby, I can’t see.”
Faye glared. “Elspeth, what did ye do?”
Elspeth covered her mouth and stepped back. “I…I…donna know.”
Fergus skidded back his chair. “Lauchlan, calm down. I can heal you. Excuse me, Faye.”
Faye moved out of his way, clutching her hands together. Fergus gently put his thumbs over his brother’s eyes. Lauchlan was trembling and his breath was erratic. Fergus took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Power burned his chest and he let it out flow freely through him. Tingles raced up his arms to his thumbs.
But behind the power, pain throbbed against his ribs. Ignoring it, he dropped his arms. “Open your eyes, Lauchlan.”
Lauchlan blinked. “I…I can see.”
Faye jumped into his arms.. “Thank God.”
Lauchlan held her, spinning around. He looked at Fergus. “How did you know?”
Fergus turned to Elspeth whose face had turned ashen and her eyes were as huge as saucers.
“Like I told you, it didn’t feel evil.”
Elspeth slowly sat in a chair. “I donna understand.”
He took a seat next to her and clasped her shaking hand. “It’s another part of your gift.”
“Gift,” Lauchlan grumbled. “I would hardly call it a gift.”
Elspeth wiped a tear off her check. “I didna mean to blind anyone.”
“Don’t pay attention to him,” Fergus said. “You have to learn to control your powers. We all went through the same thing as you did.” He tilted his head. “Even Lauchlan.”
Elspeth smiled through her tears. She squeezed his hand tighter. “But what if I possess other powers that could hurt people? Abilities I donna know I have.”
He leaned over and kissed her on her trembling lips. “That’s where I come in. We’ll discover this together. Will you trust me?”
She pinched her lips together.
He held his breath. A knife twisted in his gut.
Faye sat on the other side of Elspeth. “I know ye donna want to hear this, but mating is the only way for ye to gain control of yer powers. Lauchlan taught me how to use mine, and Rory taught Arya how to use hers. We’re a team. Only together can we hope to defeat the evil that’s threatening to destroy our world and Zalara’s.”
Fear flickered in Elspeth’s eyes. Something had happened to her that she feared being taken by a man. What had happened in that dungeon?
Elspeth’s wounded look brought on the protectiveness in Fergus. He would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do, regardless of the consequences to him. “Elspeth, I can teach you without us mating. Don’t think you have to do this.”
Elspeth bit her lip.
“Fergus.” Lauchlan’s disappointing tone prickled the hair on the back of Fergus’s neck.
Fergus held up his palm. “Drop it.”
Elspeth looked at Fergus. Her face was stricken with fear and her lower lips trembled, but there was a fire in her eyes.
She squared her shoulders. “I do trust ye, Fergus. Teach me how to manage this power.”
Fergus exhaled. “We’ll start, but first we need fuel.” He winked. “And I’m eager to taste the pie we made together.”
Lauchlan sat on the other side of Faye. “You helped make it. This out to be an interesting experience. Just hope my stomach’s up for it.”
Faye elbowed him in the ribs. “Lauchlan, stop. Yer jealous, because you donna know even how to boil water.”
Lauchlan sat straighter in his chair. “I too can boil water.”
Faye smirked. “Boiling water doesna mean the water drips down the outside of the pan.”
Elspeth motioned to Fergus. “Do those two always bicker?”
He shrugged. “Teasing each other is their expression of love.”
She lifted her eyebrow. “So, everyone’s different?”
Her intense gaze made him squirm in his seat. She had a way of turning him into a puddle of goo with just one smoldering look. He cleared his throat. “Yes.”
“Good.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but he so wanted to find out. Unfortunately, the weariness of healing Lauchlan weighed heavy on his shoulders. He was so tired of always feeling like a wrun
g out dishrag.
Just once, just once, he’d like to heal someone without feeling drained.
But the only person who could do that was Elspeth.
And he had no intention of forcing her to mate. She was a frosted rose, fierce, but delicate. He wanted her happiness more than he wanted his health.
Chapter 6
Elspeth played with her fork, shoving the vegetables around in the gravy on her plate. The smell of the Shepard’s Pie tantalized her taste buds, but her stomach flipped flopped. She’d barely been able to take two bites. How could she eat when she knew she had taken away two men’s sight? What if she did the same thing to do her dear sisters? Lauchlan and Fergus were dragons, but her sisters were humans.
She shouldn’t stay here. She was too dangerous to be around anyone.
“Elspeth, do you not like it?”
Fergus’s eyes were filled with concern.
“I’m just na hungry,” she murmured.
“Elspeth, your training requires strength.” He gestured toward her plate. “You need to eat.”
She grimaced, but forced herself to eat several more bites. She spread the food around on her plate to make it look she had eaten more than she had, but by Fergus’s grim face she hadn’t fooled him.
Fergus sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You need to eat at least half or I will not train you.”
Elspeth stabbed a piece of lamb and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing and chewing and chewing. When she swallowed, her stomach punched it back up. She gritted her teeth to keep from making a fool of herself.
She took a draught of ale to wash it down.
“Slow down, Elspeth.” Her sister Faye patted her thigh. “Ye donna want to get sick.”
Elspeth nodded, but she had to eat. There was no doubt in her mind that Fergus wouldn’t show her how to control her powers unless he was convinced she’d eaten enough food.
She ate a few more bites slowly and gave her quivering stomach to digest. She drank some more ale. “Fergus, I really canna eat another bite.”
He rubbed his chin. “It will have to do.”
Lauchlan pushed his empty plate away. “What do you plan to do?”
