Evernight

by Donna Grant

  “The ouroboros,” he said, looking at the snake eating its tail. “The emblem of wholeness or infinity. Life, death, and rebirth.”

  Synne smiled at him. “It’s the symbol we Hunters use.”

  When she didn’t say more, Lachlan had a difficult time keeping his hands to himself. He wanted to touch her, hold her, feel her warmth against him. It took everything in him not to reach for her.

  But Synne didn’t attempt to cover herself. In fact, she stood as if waiting for him. He searched her eyes for any hint that she might want him, and to his surprise, he found it. His hand rested on her hip, and just as he was about to pull her to him, a knock came from the door.

  “Sir?” called the young serving girl. “I’ve got water for yer bath.”

  His head jerked toward the door. He was about to tell her to leave when Synne pulled away from him and walked to the bed.

  She slipped beneath the covers and jerked her head to the door. “I’ve had my bath. It’s time for yours.”

  Lachlan drew in a steadying breath and strode to the door to unlock it. Two girls walked in with buckets as they began hauling out the old bathwater. He picked up the cloak from the floor and hung it near the door. Then he began removing his weapons, cloak, and boots. He glanced at Synne to see that she looked comfortable amid the blankets.

  “Thank you,” she said and motioned to the cloak with its fur-lined hood. “It looks very warm.”

  “You’re welcome, lass. It’ll serve you better than what you have.”

  They stopped talking until the girls were once more gone with the rest of the dirty water. Then Synne asked, “Did you find out anything?”

  He nodded and put a finger to his lips, letting her know it was something for when they were fully alone. Before too long, new hot water filled the tub. Lachlan had to admit he was looking forward to scrubbing the grime from his body. He barred the door once the girls were gone for good, then stoked the fire, adding another log to it.

  “Two villages west of here encountered a woman wearing a black crown,” he whispered.

  Synne’s gaze intensified as she sat up, pulling her knees to her chest. “Sybbyl. Helena told us she wears a crown of onyx now.”

  “She killed four men without so much as touching them, then bade the villagers to bow before her.”

  “Is she still there?”

  “She left after.”

  “Without any more destruction? That’s odd.”

  Lachlan shrugged and unbuttoned his vest. “From what was said, she didna seem to be looking for anything.”

  “Trust me, she’s looking.”

  13

  Synne forgot what she was saying when Lachlan removed his shirt. He was talking, saying something important, but his voice was drowned out by the wild thumping of her heart at the sight of his bare chest.

  Broad shoulders, thick arms, hard sinew. It wasn’t her first time seeing a man’s chest, but Lachlan’s form stole her breath. Ever since he’d walked in on her naked, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her body against his.

  Of his mouth on hers.

  Of his hands on her skin.

  Of his hard body sliding against hers, into her.

  Her lungs burned, and she suddenly realized that she hadn’t been breathing. She drew in a deep breath, but her eyes never left his body. She squeezed her legs together as a rush of longing filled her. She should be brushing out her hair and plaiting it instead of staring at Lachlan. But she’d been sure he’d been about to kiss her before they were interrupted. Had it all been her imagination?

  Her thoughts skidded to a halt as he removed his breeches. The way he was angled kept her from seeing his cock. And then he lowered himself into the water with his back to her.

  “I think we should keep heading north. What about you?”

  She blinked. Bloody hell. She hadn’t been paying attention at all. “Sure.”

  He turned his head to look at her over his shoulders. “That’s all you have to say?”

  “You know this area.”

  “Aye. But you know the…well, what’s following us.”

  She didn’t blame him for not wanting to say the word aloud in such a place. Despite the noise from below, there were ears everywhere.

  He shrugged after tossing water on his face. “I doona think we have much choice. A good night’s sleep and some warmth will do wonders for you. We’ll head out at first light.”

  “A sound plan,” she agreed.

  Synne watched as he used the bar of soap to wash his hair and then his body. All the while, she knew the best thing for her would be to leave in the middle of the night, head off alone. Lachlan had an entire clan counting on him. It was selfish of her to want him as a traveling companion when he was needed elsewhere. Even though he could be useful against the Coven.

  She quietly rose from the bed and dropped to her knees near the wooden tub. Her hand reached out and stopped his as he struggled to wash his back. She had been freezing for days, but since he’d walked into the chamber, she had been on fire.

  With slow, steady movements, she washed his back, pushing him forward so she could reach it all. Then she rinsed him. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and pulled her around so he could see her.

  She met his gray eyes, her heart missing a beat at the flagrant desire she saw there. Synne moved a lock of black hair from his face with her free hand and let it trail down to his thick beard. She gave him a soft smile.

  In one move, he was on his feet as he pulled her up beside him. He yanked her against him, holding her tightly. His arousal, thick and hard, lay between them. “Lass, I want you.”

  “I want you.”

  Three simple words was all it took for his mouth to be on hers. His kiss was soft and insistent, gentle yet unyielding. His hands splayed across her back when she parted her lips and let his tongue inside. He held her as if he feared she might disappear with his next breath.

  And she clung to him, afraid that this was all just a dream.

  He didn’t break the kiss as he stepped out of the tub and turned them to walk her backward to the bed. Lachlan gently laid her on the bedding, the mattress dipping when he leaned a knee upon it. She ran her hands over his thickly corded back, her body aching for him. She’d heard others talk of lying with a man, but she had never imagined it could feel this good.

  Lachlan’s hand reached between them and cupped her breast. She liked the way it felt when he massaged it. A gasp of surprise—and pleasure—tore from her when he found her nipple. The feeling was so intense that she was rocked by it. And she wanted more.

  He deepened the kiss and found her other tight bud, making her moan in pleasure. Before she knew what she was doing, she ground herself against him. The sound of his groan caused her blood to run hot in her veins.

  Then he was gone, kissing his way down her throat. She was about to tug him back up for more kissing when his lips once more wrapped around a nipple. She forgot everything, including her own name, as she gave herself to the pleasure Lachlan gave her.

  But the more he did, the more she wanted. An ache began low in her abdomen that intensified with his teasing. The more she rocked against him, the more the sensation grew.

  She whispered his name when he slid a hand over her sex and found her clit. He swirled his thumb around it, sending her teetering on the edge of…something. Before she could reach it, his finger slipped inside her. Synne bit her lip, loving the feeling of something within her. She never imagined that a finger could feel so good.

  “Lass,” he whispered in a desire-roughened voice.

  She forced her eyes open to look at him, praying that he didn’t stop moving his hand. He said nothing, simply looked at her. She let her lids close again and sighed in contentment. It all felt so wonderful. She wanted to do this always with Lachlan.

  Her eyes flew open once more, and her back arched when his mouth latched on to her sex. His tongue teased her clit while his finger continued moving inside her. Suddenly, she wa
s back on that precipice once more. Then, she tipped over the side.

  Her body jerked from the force of the climax. It ripped through her, flinging her into an abyss of ecstasy. She was helpless to do anything but ride the waves of bliss that took her higher and higher.

  She heard Lachlan say her name, felt him move over her. His hand was gone, replaced by something larger. It slid inside her, and she gasped as another wave of pleasure washed over her. Her arms were around him. She wasn’t sure how or when that had happened, but she didn’t care. She felt too good to worry about it.

  “Hold on to me, lass,” he whispered. “Cling to the pleasure.”

  He didn’t need to tell her any of that, she was already doing it.

  That’s when she realized that his cock was inside her. She had wanted to see it, touch it, but that would be for later. Now, he filled her, stretching her. And it felt delicious. He found her mouth and gave her a fiery kiss at the same time he thrust hard.

  A sharp pain went through Synne, but it was gone as fast as it had come. Then she got to enjoy the feel of Lachlan inside her. His hips pumped slowly at first, but gradually, he increased his tempo. Sweat soon covered both their bodies, their breaths mixing. He gave a final thrust before pulling out, his seed spilling on her stomach.

  Minutes ticked by before their breathing quieted. Lachlan looked at her and then shifted to run a hand down her cheek. “Lass, you’ve gifted me with something special. Thank you.”

  “You knew I was a virgin?”

  “Aye. I felt the barrier.”

  Synne licked her lips.

  “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he told her. “I feel honored to have been chosen by you.”

  She met his gaze and cupped his face. There were so many things she wanted to say, but she couldn’t get the words out. Besides, she wouldn’t know how to even begin. Everyone at the abbey had been her family, but more times than not, she was by herself in the forest. Not because she didn’t like people, but because the trees understood her.

  “Did I hurt you?” Lachlan asked.

  Synne shook her head with a smile. “Very little. I’d heard it could be painful.”

  “You should’ve told me. I would’ve been angry had I hurt you.”

  He was a considerate lover, just like Edra and Asa had urged her to find. They had cautioned her that many men didn’t care about a woman’s pleasure. Not so with Lachlan. She hadn’t even thought about that. All she’d known was that her attraction to him was something she couldn’t ignore.

  “Stay here,” Lachlan told her as he rose. He found the towel and brought it to her to clean her stomach.

  Then, with a gentle hand, he began cleaning between her legs. Synne sat up and took the cloth from him. She’d known there would be blood, but she hadn’t expected so much of it. She finished cleaning herself and was soon pulled back against Lachlan, who had gotten into bed.

  “Are you worried about Sybbyl?” he asked.

  “I’ll be worried about what she and the Coven will do until they’re gone.”

  “She was close.”

  “How many days ago did that occur?”

  “Yesterday.”

  Synne didn’t like the sound of that. She settled more comfortably against Lachlan and rested an arm over his washboard stomach. Her gaze lowered to his now flaccid cock. She couldn’t wait to see it hard, but that was for later. “The fact that she’s close does make me edgy.”

  “Should we leave now?”

  “Traveling at night wouldn’t be wise.”

  Lachlan made a sound in the back of his throat. “When is it ever safe to travel when witches are near?”

  He had a point. Synne shrugged. “Did you discover which direction Sybbyl was headed?”

  “They said she continued west, but she could’ve doubled back or changed directions. You said she wants the next bone and the Varroki. Which do you think she’ll go after first?”

  “Another bone would give her more power.” Synne blew out a breath. “If I had to guess, I’d say she’ll go after the bone before the Varroki.”

  Lachlan put his free arm behind his head. “Sybbyl was traveling alone. At least no one saw anyone else with her.”

  “That doesn’t mean anything. The Gira could’ve been near. I’ve trained for most of my life to fight witches, but I don’t stand a chance against Sybbyl on my own.”

  He kissed her forehead. “We’ll get to the Varroki.”

  She let him make that promise, even knowing he couldn’t keep it.

  14

  Blackglade

  Clouds were gathering overhead. The sea churned. It was a sign that a storm was coming, but this was something more than just the weather, and Malene understood that.

  She stood atop the tower, looking toward Scotland. Behind her, thunder rumbled. The Living Heart was within the walls of Blackglade, guarded by the most fearsome of Varroki warriors—Jarin. Helena and Jarin were now mated, their love intertwined. Their child would arrive in a few months. Malene sincerely hoped that Sybbyl and the Coven were dealt with by then.

  The truth was that Malene was worried. After what had happened at the abbey, she knew the Varroki had to be prepared. Edra had been a powerful witch, but she hadn’t had the Staff of the Eternal nor an army of Gira at her disposal. Everyone at the abbey had known it was only a matter of time before the Coven found them. But losing Edra and Radnar was a particularly painful blow. Because of them, however, there were other Hunters out there. They would make their way to Leoma and Braith, thanks to Synne.

  Malene thought of the blond Hunter, who preferred the company of trees. She hadn’t wanted to leave Synne on her own, but she’d sensed that it was Synne’s destiny. Regardless of whether or not the Hunter found her way to the Varroki or was caught by the Coven, it was a path Synne had to walk. Malene couldn’t help her, no matter how much she wanted to.

  “You’re still debating your decision.”

  The sound of Armir’s deep voice behind her made her heart race. She wasn’t sure when she’d fallen in love with him, only that she knew without a doubt that he had her heart. If only she had the courage to tell him.

  She blew out a breath as he walked up beside her. “I am.”

  “Synne is strong. Stronger, I wager, than even she knows.”

  “She’s also fragile. She lost her family. The fact that Edra kept her out of the abbey to keep her alive will be difficult for Synne to bear.”

  Armir’s long, golden blond hair was gathered into one thick band with leather straps every few inches, holding it together as it hung down his back. The sides of his head were shaved with tattoos of various runes showing. His pale green eyes swung to her. “The same magic that chose you as leader of the Varroki told you that Synne had to make her own way here. There’s a reason for that.”

  “I know. I don’t have to like it,” she snapped. Then, instantly, she regretted it. “I’m sorry. I’m not angry with you.”

  “You’re irate with the situation.”

  It had been Armir who’d found her when she was a little girl and brought her to Blackglade. The magic there chose young girls to be Lady of the Varroki, closed away in the tower to try and control the magic they didn’t understand. She hadn’t asked for this life, and she hadn’t wanted it. At least, at first.

  Then, she’d embraced her path. She gave in to the magic and felt the blue radiance in first one hand and then the other. Most Ladies of the Varroki didn’t last longer than five years. She was on her fifth year and was the only one who had the blue radiance in both hands. The magic within her was something she didn’t fully understand or know how to control. But that was part of why she had come so far. She wasn’t trying to control it.

  Blackglade hadn’t been her birthplace, but it was her home now, and the people were hers. She would fight to the death to protect them.

  “We’ll win.”

  She met Armir’s gaze and forced a smile. “If we don’t, it’ll be the end of all of this.”r />
  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “That won’t happen.”

  “As strong as you are in both magic and physically, you can’t fight Fate if it has chosen to end us.”

  He looked away, fury sparking in his eyes. “Take a look around you. A hard look.”

  Malene frowned but did as he asked. “All right. What am I looking at?”

  “That,” he said and pointed to one of the stone columns bent inward because of her. Then he pointed to the next and the next. “That. That. And…that. What do you see?”

  “I know what you’re doing,” she stated instead of answering. “You’re pointing out the strength of my magic. You forget that I didn’t even know I was doing that.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You did it. You also used the travel spell to take us across a tremendous distance. That isn’t done,” he pointed out.

  She threw up her hands. “I’m not giving up on the Varroki or Blackglade, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m merely pointing out that something could happen.”

  “And we could win!”

  The wind took his shout, but she heard it just the same. For a moment, she nearly went to him and put a hand on his chest. Until recently, his position, like many others in the Varroki, had kept him celibate. She had changed that.

  And a part of her had hoped he would come to her. She should’ve known he wouldn’t. Just as she hadn’t gone to him.

  She ensured that the Varroki numbers stopped dwindling because it was happening at an alarming rate. Now, with the threat of the Coven and Sybbyl, it was a double hit to the Varroki. Armir had always stood so strong, though. When she raged against destiny for choosing her, when she screamed to return home, he had remained steady and calm.

  Now, it was her turn to be that for him.

  “You’re right. We could. And we will,” she said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens.”

  The anger left his face in a blink. “Not at the expense of your life.”