by Patty Taylor
McGregor hoisted Beth’s dangling body over his head like a scrawny child. Dirt loosened beneath the shifting tree and crumbled over the steep cliff.
“Stay where ye are, I’m warnin’ ye,” McGregor bellowed.
The added weight bearing on the unsupported trunk was causing the tree to topple over the ledge. If Quinn didn’t do something soon, Beth and McGregor would fall to their deaths.
McGregor’s arms trembled as his body swayed.
Beth opened her eyes, her gaze catching Quinn’s before she looked down and saw McGregor standing beneath her. She screamed.
Beth grasped McGregor’s shoulder, causing him to stumble.
“Hurry, lad. Save her.”
Quinn bolted toward them, his hands catching Beth as McGregor thrust her trembling body at him. She squealed. Quinn raced and carried her safely to the ground. He scurried back across the wobbly tree and reached out to grab his old friend.
The tree shifted, and McGregor reeled backward, his legs kicking Quinn off his feet.
Beth squealed again and turned her head away.
His veins throbbed in his neck and temples. His fingers clutched a clump of turf, and he hung from the ledge watching McGregor’s body taking a brutal beating as it raked across the jagged rocks before finally hitting the ground.
Quinn reached for the ledge with his free hand.
Beth’s face popped over the ledge. She peered down at him and yelled, “Grab my hand!”
The creeping turf slipped through his fingers, and he swung his arm at Beth. Their fingertips touched. Beth’s screams echoed in his ears as he lost his grip and tumbled down the cliff.
Chapter 22
Kalista screeched and hovered in front of Beth’s face, feverishly flapping her wings.
“Quinn’s still alive. I can feel his heart beating. In here.” Beth placed her hand over her chest. “Come on, Kalista, we’ve got to hurry and help him.” White hairs sprouted from Beth’s arms; her hands and feet shifted into massive paws. Crouching low to the ground, she prepared to sprint down the rocky slope.
Like a mother wolf picking up its young by the back of the neck, Kalista’s back feet clasped Beth by her shoulders. The dragon lifted her off the ground and soared above the cotton-ball clouds.
Beth squealed and covered her eyes with her hands. She held her breath, anxiously waiting for Kalista to drop her into the icy water below any second now. Peeking through sprawled fingers, she watched Kalista head in the opposite direction from Quinn, toward a veiled alcove nestled beside a waterfall on the other side of the cliff. “Wait. We’re going the wrong way. You need to turn back.”
Kalista plunged toward the narrow opening beside the gushing water. Beth’s stomach lurched from the abrupt drop. She wrapped her arms around herself. Kalista chattered as if she were fussing at a misbehaving child.
Beth landed safely on her hands and knees on a rough surface of pebbles and dirt. She crawled to the edge of the steep slope and peered across the ocean. Another one of her wolf shapeshifting gifts, her keen vision spotted things her normal sight wasn’t able to. Her heart raced in her chest as she caught sight of Quinn. His body lay motionless on the sandy beach only a few feet away from McGregor’s crumpled frame sprawled over a cluster of boulders.
Kalista waddled alongside Beth, fluttering her wings, and knelt. She edged her nose over the ledge and placed her front paw on Beth’s hand.
Beth spotted a beautiful woman with flowing blond hair appear from around the corner of the cliff. Her body floating in midair, she ignored McGregor completely and headed straight toward the unconscious Highlander. The mystical woman wore a crown of golden flowers nestled between baby’s breath and fall-colored leaves. Her blood-red lips contrasted against her very-pale skin. As she spread out her webbed fingers, her body slowly lowered to the ground.
“Please help him!” Beth shouted.
Kalista’s nose nudged Beth’s arm. Disgruntled, Kalista made a hissing nose like a snake and fluttered her wings.
The stranger glanced over her shoulder and smiled. Her shiny blue eyes sparkled from the sunlight touching her face. She knelt, her hand cradling the side of Quinn’s face. The young woman’s gaze locked momentarily with Beth’s before returning her attention to Quinn. She rose to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. She leaned her head back, and a spine-chilling wail escaped from her mouth.
Four hideous hairy trolls appeared out of nowhere and bowed at her feet. The woman motioned to Quinn’s body. Two of the wretched creatures hurried and grabbed Quinn’s ankles as the others raced to his shoulders. The odd men lifted the hefty Highlander over their heads and carried him off. From the distance, they appeared like tiny ants carting off a slice of bread for a feast. The woman glided behind them, her feet never touching the ground.
“Where are you taking him?” Beth screamed. Her stomach twisting in knots watching Quinn’s body disappear with the strangers. McGregor’s body had suddenly vanished. “Wait. Please.”
Beth rose and walked away from the ledge. She clenched her fists, tears streaming down her cheeks. Kalista beat her wings, fussing.
“Now what do we do, Kalista? Who knows where they took Quinn. And, because of me, McGregor sacrificed himself and his remains have mysteriously disappeared. By the Goddess, if ever I needed my friend Darby, it’s now. I can only pray that he’s safe.”
Kalista sprawled her wings on the ground in front of Beth and lowered her head. The dragon pushed the braided leather cord holding the swirling globe from around her neck, and it dropped to the ground.
“What are you doing, Kalista? If I could only understand what you’re trying to tell me.” Beth knelt and stroked the side of the miniature dragon’s moistened cheeks. “Why, you’re crying.”
Tiny sparkling dragon tears dripped over the sides of the swirling glass globe. A glistening layer of snow encased the crystal sphere, like a strawberry dipped and wrapped in melted chocolate.
The miniature orb wobbled back and forth and swirled in circles. Kalista chattered, flying around the globe as it slowly expanded. The glass crackled.
Beth stepped back and bit her lower lip. “What did you do, Kalista?”
Kalista’s loud screech sounded similar to a peacock’s eerie cry for help.
Like firecracker sparklers, the tiny globe spit orange and yellow sparks. A powdery snow filled the tiny cavern enclosure. Beth stepped back, her back hitting a cold wall. She covered her eyes and face with her hands. A thundering rumble echoed through the eerie cave.
Everything went quiet and still. Cold chills raced up Beth’s spine. With everything else going haywire, Beth was half-afraid to open her eyes until a familiar voice broke the silence.
“Thank ye, my wee friend. ’Tis good to be back.”
Chapter 23
Quinn opened his eyes and tried raising his head. His breath steamed white from the cold air. He couldn’t move his limbs. His arms were wrapped around a tree, strapped behind him, and his legs were bound with prickly rope. He tilted his head to the pink-streaked twilight sky. The descending sun was ready to take her leave, making room for a clear star-filled night.
Four wretched trolls sat babbling at each other in front of a crackling fire, stuffing their ugly faces with raw fish. Jagged mounds of green and velvet peaks crusted in snowcaps sprawled behind them. A sleek figure strolled through a thick hazy mist, stopping their gibberish chatter. The hideous creatures quickly rose to their feet before dropping to their knees and bowing their heads.
The fine-looking lass appeared out of nowhere. The flickering light of the campfire accentuated her body. The sheer scarlet-red chemise she wore clung to her voluptuous figure. Her fair-skinned breasts were barely contained by the plunging V-neckline, leaving nothing to the imagination.
Her concentration focused on Quinn as
her body floated like a heavenly cloud past the vile trolls, approaching him. She stopped and smiled, tilting her head to the side, and studied him. The beautiful shade of her lilac eyes was a stunning contrast to her long flowing blond hair and creamy-white complexion.
Quinn understood how men could easily become smitten with this creature’s mesmerizing beauty. He had heard about women similar to the seductress now hovering in front of his face. It was told they lived in the forest and could lure men deep inside their endless caves. These creatures were cunning and dangerous. They would use their manipulating charm to wile their victims, knowing full well that no man can resist them.
“Wonderful. I see the captain of the Sea Wolf is now awake.” Her alluring voice was like the soft music of a magical flute. She cupped the side of his face in her webbed fingers and smiled. Her lilac eyes roamed over his entire body. “I crave a companion, Quinn McCord, and I have chosen you to become my mate for the rest of eternity.”
“I’m afraid you have the advantage over me, lass. I dinna even know your name. Why do you keep me tied like an animal if I am to be your mate?” Quinn needed to get away from her and find Beth before more time was wasted.
“I am called Brianna. I’m the nymph daughter born of the Dryads from the forest and the Oceanids from the sea.” She had long thick eyelashes that sparkled whenever she blinked. Her cheeks blushed a light shade of rosy peach. “Your shapeshifting gift saved your life. No mortal man would have survived that fall. The Gods favor you, Quinn. Consider yourself lucky. By now, the currents would have carried you away to a watery grave, keeping your friend’s body company at the bottom of the sea.”
Quinn clenched his hands, which were still tied behind the tree. The pain and anguish written across McGregor’s face flashed before him. Beth’s screams still rang in his ears. Anxious to know if she’d seen Beth, Quinn took a breath before he replied, cautious to watch her face’s reaction. “Then you know, I must pay respect to my friend. You must take me back to where you found us.”
“Soon, we will have plenty of time to go wherever you so desire. But first, I must make you mine.” Brianna lowered her face mere inches from Quinn’s. She pursed her lips. A shimmering white mist materialized from her breath and glided toward his mouth.
Quinn closed his eyes, trying to fight the intoxicating feeling that clouded his head. His limbs grew numb like he’d been in a tavern and had drank too much whiskey. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. Tingly sharp pains raced up and down his spine.
Brianna’s fingers lingered at his cheek, lowering to his chest. His body ached from her touch, longing for the touch of her soft caress. His senses dizzied, and her words barely registered, as she whispered in his ear, “Don’t try to struggle. My spirit already flows through your body. You cannot resist me.”
The image of Beth’s lovely face filled his mind. Now more than ever, he needed to stay strong for the woman he loved. He wasn’t about to lose Beth now after finding his true soulmate. A burst of warmth surged through his veins. He raised his head and opened his eyes. His eyes locked with Brianna’s, noting the look of surprise that crossed her face.
“I’m afraid you will have to find someone else as your mate.” Quinn straightened his back against the tree, determined not to back down. “I am honored that you chose me, Brianna. You are by far one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. But this canna be. Your magic will not work on me.”
“This is impossible.” Her lips parted as she stared back at him in disbelief. She lowered her feet to the ground and raised her hands. The bristly ropes binding his arms unraveled and fell to the ground. “No man can escape the spell of my breath.”
Quinn stood and arched his back, rubbing his irritated wrists with his hands. “I belong to another. A mortal witch has already claimed my heart.”
“If you speak of the raven-haired woman I caught glimpse of, then I’m afraid you are mistaken. Her fate canna be changed. Her destiny rests in the hands of the Maras Queen. Once she turns, the claim this woman has on you will be broken.” Like a feather floating in the breeze, Brianna floated around to his back, bobbing up and down. “I am patient and willing to wait another day. You will soon forget all about your wolf-girl.”
“Never,” Quinn answered coldly, and turned to face her. “There’s still time to cure Beth of this bloody curse.”
The nymph lifted her chin in defiance. A curt smile crossed her face. Her wavy blond locks rose in the air and fluttered around her voluptuous frame. Her face turned bright red with fury. Like a cat chasing its tail, she flew circles around his body. Like a whirlwind stripping leaves from a tree, Quinn’s clothes were ripped off his body and scattered across the ground. “Prepare yourself, Highlander. You canna resist me much longer. One wee drop of my essence planted in your bloodstream will soon change your mind.”
“I warn ye, seductress. Remember one thing: No matter what ye do to me, my heart will never belong to ye. Ye may bewitch me body with yer own blood, but ye’ll never poison the love in me heart. I will always belong to another ’til the end of time.”
Brianna slid her body against his bare flesh and wrapped her legs around his waist. She clung to his body like a bloodthirsty leach. Her fingers frantically explored his flesh before digging into his shoulder blades while she nibbled on his earlobes.
Quinn pushed against her at no avail. She lowered her head to his chest, her hands traveling down his back and clutching his buttocks. Grasping his face between her webbed fingers, her lips covered his. Her frosty breath filled his mouth, turning his throat cold as ice. She raked her hands over his head and brushed his hair away from the back of his neck.
The nymph grasped and threw her head back. A shrill eerie screech escaped her lips. Like a vulture driven from its prey, she screamed and loosened her tight grasp around Quinn. Her body floated backward away from him.
Brianna glared at him, her eyes and face suddenly filled with repulsion and hatred. She pointed to the back of his neck. “Powerful beings other than the Gods have favored you. I canna understand why they would allow a mere mortal witch to place her mark on you.”
The heat rushed from Quinn’s face down his neck. He leaned over, grabbing his plaid strewn on the ground and wrapped it around his waist. “If ye’re referring to my plight of bein’ hunted for sport, I’m afraid I would call that more of a curse than being favored by the Gods.”
“You have more than wolf blood running through your human veins, Quinn McCord. Because of the Maras bond with the mortal woman, I am not allowed to touch ye. At least not until the she-wolf’s bond has been broken. Her hold on you will be worthless come midnight after Samhain Eve. Then you will be my lover forever.” Her forefinger ran down the side of his face and drew blood. She placed her bloody finger on her lip.
“Yer words are mere nonsense.” Quinn stepped back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “’Tis only one being that holds any claim to my heart, and that is Beth. I can promise ye this: Until I die, no other woman will ever gain me love or me trust.”
Brianna grinned and shook her head. “We’ll find out soon enough who speaks the truth. Until then, I will have the trolls take you to the magical falls where we will wait for your beloved enchantress to arrive. ’Tis clear as the mark on yer neck that she’s destined to meet her final fate there.”
The nymph turned her attention to the trolls and waved her hand. The swirling mist reappeared. Like a bird spreading its wings to fly, she raised her arms, and her body glided in the air above the four gruesome ogres’ heads toward the misty haze.
“Brianna, wait,” Quinn called after her. “These others ye speak of. You didna say who they were.”
“Come, let us get ready,” one of the trolls piped up, and Brianna nodded to him.
“You will find out soon enough, my mate to be.” Quinn spotted Brianna’s alluring lilac eye
s glancing back at him as the heavy mist enveloped her body. The cool night air swallowed her musical voice, her whispered reply barely audible to his keen hearing. He swore the last broken syllables he heard sounded like, “Gon . . . Fae . . .”
I must be mistaken. She couldn’t know about the sacred vow. Quinn worried she was taunting him and holding back information regarding Beth.
Quinn rubbed the back of his neck. The mark was larger than he remembered. Quinn could recognize the symbol of the dragon etched plainly on his chest, but since he couldn’t see the mark on his neck, he’d had McGregor describe it to him several years ago. The old man assured him it was shaped in the design of a wolf’s paw print. His fingers traced the raised bumps of another symbol next to the paw print, but he couldn’t figure it out.
Brianna said the mortal witch has put her mark on him. Beth must have bitten him when they were making love without realizing her puncture now symbolized her claim on him.
Brianna’s words didn’t make any sense. How could it even be possible?
Quinn bent and tied the laces around his leather boots. The trolls headed toward him, forming a circle. They quickly weaved a braided rope in front of him and tossed it high in the air. Quinn straightened and stepping back, watching the rope turn into a shimmering lasso.
“El-ix-o-tae wolf-er-a,” they chanted. The rope swirled higher until it reached beneath the clouds and coasted toward Quinn, hovering over his head. “Sam-bri-o-ki-a.”
The lasso split in three pieces and wound around his wrists and shoulders. The strength dwindled in his body, and his limbs filled with a heavy pressure that consumed him. His legs were shaky—his knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground. The braided lasso turned into toxic linked chains lined with traces of silver.
