by Rae Monet
"Noooo.” Richard rushed after the man, only to be stopped short by the other swordsman. Although Richard fought with the power of a madman, his wounds sapped his strength. The other swordsman fought harder and with more skill than Richard expected. Traitors were not usually from the first rank.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the tall man reach for Megan.
"Ahhh, how are you, my beauty?” The tall man grabbed Megan by her hair.
Megan's scream drove Richard over the edge. That man would not defile his woman. He spun around to avoid a blade. Using his momentum, he swung his sword over his head. With a war cry, he hit the swordsman on the neck, nearly severing his head from his shoulder. The man dropped like a stone, blood gushing from the cavernous wound.
Richard sagged. The loss of blood from his shoulder was beginning to sap his energy as the adrenaline rush ebbed. He stumbled toward Megan with only one thought on his mind.Megan. I have to save her .
But what he saw stopped him, a cry tearing from his throat. His beautiful woman, naked and trembling, stood with her hands clasped in front of her, a sharp dagger held to her neck.
"Richard!” Megan screamed his name as he swayed on his feet.
He shifted his sword to his left hand, hoping to relieve the pressure on his sword arm.
"Drop your weapon or I will kill her right now.” The tall man laughed, showing rotting teeth. “I've had her once. Don't think I won't do it again. With you watching."
Richard shook his head. He knew in his heart this man would kill Megan the first chance he got. Richard saw the blood lust in his dung-colored eyes and sensed the devil on his shoulder.
The tall Scotsman pulled the dagger closer to Megan's throat, drawing a thin red line. Blood seeped down her neck. Richard strained to throw off his control. Take the man who'd hurt her before and was hurting her again. He wanted to lunge at the villain, fulfilling his vow of revenge. Yet blackness was beginning to edge around his consciousness.
God, I can't fall now.
He tried to keep blackness at bay even as he felt his legs growing weak. Megan's eyes locked with his. In the green depths, he saw fear and longing, love and loss.
"Megan,” Richard whispered as he fell to one knee. Blood flowed down his arm, a crimson waterfall, soaking his breeches. His head was becoming light. He shook it, attempting to focus.
"You appear to be a little worse for wear,” the leader mocked.
Richard took his eyes off the man and focused on Shadow. The wolf stood with her fangs bared, concentrating on the man holding Megan. Yet Shadow didn't move closer, as if she knew the consequences would be death.
"Let me go. This will prove nothing.” Megan's calm voice drew Richard's attention back to her.
He had to hold back a cry. Her visage was growing dim. The world seemed to be moving slowly. Each breath was becoming a feat.
"Richard,” Megan said, “stay with me. Stay with me. I love you.” He tried to focus on her voice, but her voice was growing distant.
"I think your mon's done in, my beauty. ‘Tis a shame, after playing out such a loving scene.” He laughed and his hand covered Megan's naked breast.
Richard growled. Then he felt energy infuse him, heat burrowing into his muscles, slowing the blood flowing down his shoulder. It was his love for Megan, he knew, resurrecting him to life from near death.
He looked down at Shadow. The wolf's gaze was still fixed on Megan, waiting for a signal.
As if Richard were outside his body, he watched Megan reach up. Grabbing her kidnapper's arms, she stamped on his instep. He screamed and loosened his hold on her neck. She dropped to the ground.
Richard snapped back inside his body. As Shadow lunged straight toward the kidnapper's neck, Richard vaulted forward, his sword steady in his grip, as if he'd never been hurt.
Just as he and Shadow were about to converge on the man, Megan pulled a dagger from between her hands. With a shout, she plunged it into his heart, wrenching it upwards.
He yelled and fell backwards. Richard thrust his sword forward, just below Megan's dagger, slicing deep into his chest like butter. Before the villain's head reached the ground, Shadow grabbed his dirty neck in her strong teeth. She shook him, her teeth embedded in his throat, blood gushing out over her muzzle.
Richard released his sword. It stood hilt up, buried in the man's chest.
The surge of strength emptied from Richard's body as fast and mysteriously as it had come. His knees gave out as he sank down, his strength spent. He felt the blood pouring down his arm again as he slipped back onto the ground and rested his head on the dirt.
His heartbeat began to slow. He knew the signs. He was bleeding out fast. He was dying. With each pump of his heart, his life's blood was seeping away too quickly to be replaced.
Megan dropped to her knees beside him. Crying, she placed her hands on his wounds and pressed, trying to stop the bleeding. Richard cried out in pain and arched up.
"Richard. Stay with me. Don't you die on me.” Her tears mingled with the river of blood flowing out of his body.
He stared at her face, trying to memorize her features and take her image into heaven or hell with him.
"Megan, it's no use,” he said, his voice weak. “The sword cut through a vein. I've bled too much. There is naught you can do."
Roan burst through the bushes followed by the MacGregor and a dozen of the McKinney's best men, all armed.
"Richard.” Roan dropped down next to Megan. Quickly assessing the situation, he grasped Richard's hand. “God, be merciful."
"Richard, you will not die.Do you hear me?" Megan screamed.
He closed his eyes as blackness came to greet him, touching the outer cusp of his mind.
"You will not die,” Megan said, her voice this time a command.
Then her hand curved over his injury. A burning fire shot from Megan's hand into Richard's shoulder. It felt as if a lightning bolt struck him. He cried out; the pain was excruciating. His eyes shot wide open. He watched Megan.
Her eyes were closed, her breathing ragged. She grunted in pain. He saw an almost gray aura surrounding her, pulsating around her body. The pain that had been so unbearable began to abate from Richard's shoulder. At the same time, she whimpered.
It was then Richard realized what she was doing. Somehow she was taking his pain into her.
"Megaaan. Do not...” Richard screamed her name as fire shot into his body again, leaving him breathless. Panting, he began to sweat. He tried to focus and add his power to hers; he wanted to help her absorb his pain. Before he could concentrate any further, he felt as if someone knocked him in the head. Then the blackness finally welled up and claimed him.
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Megan dropped her head. Breathing hard, she tried to calm her pounding heart. Someone draped a cape over her shoulders as she lifted her hands from Richard's wound. She had never healed a cut so thoroughly. The gaping wound was gone; in its place was a small hairline scar. She guessed Richard's abilities had combined with hers to create such a powerful result.
"Megan.” Roan reached down and lifted her into his arms. Shadow barked, dancing around them.
"Shh,” Megan soothed. She was so tired, as if the healing had sapped away her strength. She tried to lift her head, but it fell back against Roan's arm.
Shadow gave one last bark and grew quiet. Roan jerked his chin toward Megan's father then toward Richard.
"Can you bring him, McKinney?"
"Aye,” her father answered.
Megan closed her eyes and let sleep claim her.
Chapter Fifteen
Richard reared up on the cot. “Megan!” he screamed. Blood was pulsing through his head, a hammer pounding inside his skull as if the God of Thunder was trying to knock his way out.
"Shhhh."
Richard glanced toward the sound. He felt instant relief when he spied Roan, his legs propped up on the second bed, polishing his sword as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Roan gi
ngerly pulled his feet off the bed, stood and sheathed his sword. He pointed toward the bed next to Richard's cot, placing a finger to his mouth to keep Richard silent. Giving him a wink, he left, pulling the door shut behind him.
Turned toward him, Megan slept with her hands curled under her cheek like a small girl. She looked blissfully whole and healthy, her cheeks pink and her expression serene. Relief filled Richard. He had to blink away tears of joy.
He moved out of his cot and eased into bed with her. More than anything else, he needed to be next to her. As if sensing him even in her sleep, she stirred against him, placing her hand over his heart. He couldn't explain what had happened today, didn't even want to. What he did know was that he was alive and so was she. That was all that mattered.
Richard tenderly kissed her awake. Her lips parted. She made a little mewing noise, and gave him her lips. “Richard,” she leaned back and stroked his jaw, “how do you feel?"
Richard rotated his shoulder, surprised that he felt only a twinge of pain. “Surprisingly well, my beauty."
Her expression softened at his words.
"All is well with you?” he asked.
She stroked his chest, her fingers trailing along his muscles to his stomach. “Aye. Ream Grogan was responsible for all of this and he is in a much better place now."
Richard opened his senses but felt no fear or remorse coming from her. “As are we. Together, we are a powerful pair,” he said, then took her lips again until neither of them could breathe.
"Marry me, Richard. Make me yours. Today. Please."
Richard hauled her hands over her head as he rolled her onto her back. “Yes, Megan. Today. In a little while.” He lifted his head and laughed. “Right now I have other plans for you.” He stopped talking and started to slide downward to occupy his mouth with a much juicier fare.
"Truly? Today?” She rubbed her hand over his Raven tattoo. Richard smiled against her stomach. “Oh yes, my beauty, truly."
Then Richard proceeded to show her what a truly powerful pair they had become.
The End
About the Author:
Rae Monet is a new Author for LiquidSilverBooks.com, for which she writes paranormal, historical and contemporary erotic romance novels.
Please check out Rae's website, www.RaeMonet.com and enjoy her world. Rae has been writing for a number of years and is an avid reader. Rae's First novel in the Wolf series, The Lost Wolf Warrior, was published recently by LSB.
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