by Tara Nina
“You okay ta stand?”
“I think so. I’m a little stiff.”
“Here, I’ll help you,” Fin offered as he took her hands and guided her to her feet.
Lynn’s legs were fine. She wiggled her toes in her boots, trying to loosen the tightness in her ankles. Rolling her shoulders and moving her fingers helped relieve the dead sensation and numbness in her arms and hands. The small of her back ached from lying on her hands balled beneath her. The only good thing from being carried up the mountain, she’d lay there listening, learning their motives and reserving her energy. As soon as the tingling quit in her arms and feet, she knew she’d be ready to make a break for it.
She took a step toward the trees when Fin cut her off. “Nay, lassie. I’ve got ta keep you from running.” He held a longer rope, which he secured around her waist.
“Really,” Lynn said with her eyebrow cocked and a hand on the rope.
“It’s either this or I hold your hand while you pee,” Fin stated point-blank. Lynn opened her mouth to protest then shut it. He was serious. He grabbed the lantern and held it out so she could see where she was going.
They walked several feet away from the tents. Fin stopped her and turned her to face him. He hung the lantern on a branch so it bathed the area in a low glow. He took hold of her hands as he spoke in a whispered tone so only she could hear.
“Listen, Lynn. Things are not as they seem. Please abide by Lonnie’s rules for now and I’ll see ta it you make it home safe.”
Lynn swallowed her excitement. She was right about Fin. He really wasn’t part of this, but somehow had gotten roped into it. Keeping her voice low and her tone even she asked, “Why are you helping them?”
“That be a question I cannot answer now.” He nodded toward the campsite. “You best be doing your business quickly or Lonnie just might come looking for us. He may not be the brightest but he does have a mean streak.”
She nodded and scooted behind the trees out of his view. Indecision warred with her insides as she relieved herself while at the same time loosening the rope. She wasn’t a liar, she really had to go, but she had no intention of missing the opportunity to escape. When she stood and secured her jeans, she turned and walked face first into a hand over her mouth and an arm around her waist.
“Don’t scream, Lynn. It’s me, Travis,” he whispered in her ear.
Fear filled her. In her panic, his words didn’t register. She bit his hand and kneed him in the family jewels. Adrenaline rushed, making her run faster than she’d ever run in her life. Limbs slapped her face and left behind stinging scratches. Darkness surrounded her, only the occasional light from the stars and moon filtered through the canopy of trees. Limited line of sight didn’t stop her. She kept on running. Several times she tripped and miraculously she managed to stay on her feet, blindly grabbing hold of branches or trees to break her fall.
Voices echoed behind her, making her push onward even though she gasped for air. Her lungs hurt. There wasn’t an uncovered patch of skin that didn’t burn from being attacked by objects in the dark. She knew if she didn’t slow down she was going to get severely injured. When she couldn’t hear the voices behind her anymore, she slowed to a stop and bent over with her hands on her knees, trying to clear her head and breathe.
Wheezing in and out, she thought she was going to be sick even though her stomach was empty. Her captors hadn’t fed her. Dizziness made her head spin, causing her to crumble to her knees. Uncontrollable tears gushed and for the first time since the whole thing started, she felt completely helpless. Sob after sob croaked from deep inside her before she finally curled into a ball on the soft forest floor.
She lay there for several minutes more, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. The sensation of warmth cocooned her, soothing her, clearing her thoughts as the faint sound of her dead husband’s voice flowed inside her head. Think, Lynn. Think. There’s got to be a way out of this. Lying on the ground won’t save you.
Lynn rolled onto her side then into a seated position, dried her eyes and gathered her wits. Eddie reached out to her in her time of need just as he’d done whenever she was down or distraught over the past three years. This she knew in her heart. Whether she imagined it or not, it was his whispered words of encouragement that sparked her drive to survive and pulled her back together. He was the reason she’d come on this trip to Scotland, to fulfill their ghost-hunting dreams. She’d be damned if she’d let some two-bit kidnappers ruin her life. She struggled to her feet and straightened her clothes as best as possible.
Up ahead through the trees, she thought she saw a break in the woods. Maybe there was a meadow and quite possibly a house with people who could help her. Slowly she worked her way in that direction. The sound of male voices from somewhere behind her scared her. They were still coming after her and getting closer. She dug deep for any energy she had left and ran.
The moment she cleared the tree line, the ground went out from under her. She landed on her backside and began a torturous slide, bouncing off saplings, rocks and underbrush as her speed increased. Afraid she’d break her neck if she didn’t stop, Lynn kept grabbing on to anything that would slow her descent. Several times the thin saplings she managed to grasp pulled out of the soft ground, slowing her some but not much. Digging in her heels helped, but the moist soil gave way until she hit a solid mass, a well-embedded rock that stopped her downward spiral.
Lynn came to a bone-jarring halt, leaning into the side of the mountain and praying the rock beneath her feet didn’t pull out of place. Once the dirt around her stopped shifting, she evaluated her condition. It didn’t seem as if anything was broken but it was hard to tell through the total-body numbness. Breathing deep, she calmed her overwrought nerves and forced her trembling hands to search from side to side for anything that would help support her. Peering down the length of her body, she realized she’d slipped into a ravine and from her position, it looked bottomless. It wasn’t an open meadow she’d seen, it was simply an optical illusion caused by the way the moonlight played upon the terrain.
Damn. She closed her eyes and it hit her. She was living the dream she had the first night of this ghost-hunting adventure. Dead tired from hiking into the Grampian Mountains, cozy and warm in her sleeping bag, her imagination had run wild in her sleep and she had awoken all hot and bothered by the images fired to life in her brain. Thinking back, it replayed as if she were asleep and the dream reoccurred.
Don’t look down, whispered through her head as she gasped for a full breath. She’d clung on for life in her dream just as she did now. Dirt slipped from the mountain, crumbling around her with any movement. Lynn kept her eyes closed tight, listening to the echo of a rock as it rolled into the deep crevice beneath her. It sounded so far away. She tried desperately not to think on the “what if she fell” scenario and let the memory of the dream temporarily control her thoughts.
She’d had help then whereas now there was none. As she’d reached upward, a hand had grabbed hers. If she remembered correctly, warmth had shot down her arm as a strong hand wrapped around hers. Lynn leaned back into the mountain, letting the vision of hope live in her mind in a valiant effort to relieve the tension of her reality.
One hand had held hers, while the other had reached and grabbed her backpack, tugging her into the mouth of a cave without so much as a grunt from the effort. Once certain of her safety, she’d lifted onto her knees, turned on a flashlight she didn’t remember having—after all it was a dream. Several seconds had passed before she could actually focus. But when she did, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
A gorgeous hunk of a man dressed in full-scale, ancient Scottish regalia had stood staring down at her. The way the light played across the planes of his face gave him a dangerously rugged appeal. She couldn’t decide if his eyes were green, blue or a mixture of both. A firm jaw held a set of perfect male lips. Waves of dark hair thick with amber highlights hung loose about his broad shoulders.
He had been b
are-chested except for the leather strap that crossed from left shoulder to right hip, which held the sheath for the sword she saw the handle of above his shoulder. The man’s abdominal muscles were unlike any she’d ever seen. Ripped was the only word that came to mind, but even that didn’t do him justice. A red-and-green-plaid kilt slung low across his hips lay perfectly to his knees. Laced boots covered from his calves to his toes, but the snug fit hid nothing about their musculature. His legs befit the rest of him, muscles on top of muscles.
For a split second, wonder if he’s true to his kilt had flashed inside her brain and she’d had to fold her hands together to resist the temptation to lift the plaid and take a peek. She’d swallowed hard, then forced her brain to work and made her mouth form a sentence.
“Thank you for saving me.” She remembered speaking as she held her hand out to him.
He’d stared for what seemed like an eternity before he’d reached for it and helped her to her feet. She’d stumbled on weakened legs and fallen against the solid wall of male flesh. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close along the warmth of his form. His other hand’s fingers gently touched her chin and guided her face upward. He seemed to study her before his eyes met hers.
The low, sultry baritone of his words had washed over her as he spoke. “Nay, milady. ’Tis ye who have saved mi.”
In the dream, his arm had tightened around her waist as he lifted her without any effort. One of her hands held his thick, bulging biceps while her other hand landed on his waist for support. Never had anyone lifted her to kiss her. Nerves fired to life that she’d thought were dead. The closer his lips got, the more she wanted his kiss. This slow-motion event was killing her. The heat of his breath caressed her lips, just millimeters apart. The warmth of his body set her on fire with desire.
Lynn caught herself craning her neck, trying to reach his lips. Reality set in and she opened her eyes. She truly clung to the side of a mountain for life. She tilted her chin upward, but saw nothing much in the darkness. Was there a handsome man waiting to rescue her? Nervously she laughed at the ludicrous thought. There wasn’t anyone who knew where she was or who would risk his life to save her.
This wasn’t a dream. This was her reality.
No, it was up to her to save herself. She dug deep, brushing away the perfect hero-saves-the-day dream from her thoughts, and struggled for survival.
Cautious in her movements, she inched along the rock, turning until she was face-first against the dirt. Should she try to climb down or was it easier to go up? Lynn moved her hands, palms flat, along the ground, searching for any point of support, anything she could grasp. The fingertips of her right hand brushed something rough and solid. Lynn rotated her head in that direction. It appeared to be a ledge. God, she hoped it would hold her.
With slow, careful movements, she worked her way toward the lip in the rock, hugging her body to the mountain for dear life. She used the plants for leverage, holding on but not pulling so their roots wouldn’t break and jerk free from the ground. It seemed like an eternity had passed before she reached the ledge. Every muscle ached and trembled but she refused to give in to the exhaustion that threatened to tear her from the mountainside. Nope. She didn’t plan to fail. That ledge was her salvation, her place to rest and recuperate until sunrise.
She gripped the rocky edge. When it didn’t break off and slide away, relief made her smile. Now all she had to do was pull herself up onto it. Toeing her boots into the dirt, she tried to push upward using her legs. The ground slid out from beneath her right foot and she slipped, leaving her dangling by her hands. Her shoulders screamed in pain and her arms shook, but she tightened her grip, refusing to lose this battle.
Sheer will helped her find a sturdier foundation. Her left foot located a rock and her right she planted between the base of a bush and the dirt. Spread-eagle wasn’t the best position but it kept her from falling any farther. The rock didn’t feel as sturdy as the bush so she pushed up on her right leg and glided her left leg closer to the right until it found a secure spot stuck in a hole a wee bit higher than the bush. She struggled inch by inch until she was able to hoist herself onto the ledge.
Lynn rolled several feet away from the edge and onto her back. Breathing heavily, she lay still, trying to evaluate her condition. Nothing felt broken. Her legs and arms trembled from the excessive exertion she’d placed on them. This definitely was more exercise than she’d ever gotten. Seconds turned into minutes as she simply lay there. The pounding of her heart resumed its normal pace and the tension in her body relaxed, giving her a chance to reflect on the events that led up to her precarious predicament.
Don’t scream, Lynn. It’s me, Travis.
The words rolled around inside her head and the sudden realization of what she’d done surfaced. Ohmygod. Travis. She’d attacked Travis, the one person who she thought was on her side. Or maybe he wasn’t. She truly didn’t know for sure anymore. Hysterical laughter rose from her chest.
What had she done?
She rolled onto her side and curled into a ball. The laughter slowed and exhaustion took over. Everything hurt. Both arms and legs trembled uncontrollably. A deep-seated ache bloomed from her core and spread outward until every ounce of her was thoroughly depleted of energy, causing her muscles to spasm at will. Her body gave her no other choice but to sleep. If she saw the morning light, it would be a miracle.
Invisible, strong, gentle hands caressed her, lulling her to sleep. Warmth surrounded her. The handsome man reappeared in her dreams, giving her comfort in her time of need. She snuggled closer into the imaginary heat of his body. He surrounded her, cuddling her against him as if he alone would protect her from the elements. Sensing he stood watch, Lynn relaxed further into the depths of sleep, letting his sexy image renew her desire for life and for him.
He appeared to be tall with wide shoulders and thick arms that would hold her for as long as she needed to be held. Long, dark hair with rich shades of red was pulled away from his face, making her wish to untie what bound it and set it free to landscape his rugged features. Deep blue-green eyes stared at her, filled with wonder and wisdom beyond his years.
In this dream, he said nothing, nor did she. He simply held her while she slept, keeping her close and away from the edge of the ledge. His imaginary heat warmed her and warded off the cool night air. A sensual dream, not sexual, guided her into a peaceful place where the hazards of her day no longer existed. It was just her and her hot, dream-walking man.
Chapter Two
Cupping his bruised balls, Travis quickly hobbled behind a tree as someone with a lantern hurried after Lynn. It had to be the throb radiating up his middle that crossed his eyes and had him seeing things. That couldn’t have been Fin going after her. He repositioned his damaged goods and sucked it up. Lynn had been kidnapped and for some unexplainable reason, Fin was involved.
Someone had knocked him out earlier and the back of his head still pounded. Now combined with the stabbing pain from his balls, Travis was mad as a disturbed hornet’s nest. There was only one way to find out what the hell was going on and it didn’t entail tending his wounds like a little boy.
Travis took a step then halted for a second to listen. A male voice called out to Fin from the campsite. Knowing where Fin was, Travis quietly sped after him. He had to reach Lynn before any of them. It was his fault she was in this predicament. The dim light from the lantern stuck out in the otherwise dark of night. He tracked the bobbing dot deeper into the woods. Voices echoed behind him, but he doubted they’d catch up anytime soon.
When the light stopped for a second, Travis made his move. Travis lunged from behind and wrapped up Fin’s legs, causing him to fall face forward. The lantern rolled under a bush. Luckily it was battery powered and didn’t cause a fire. Without giving Fin a chance, he flipped him over, straddled his waist, grabbed his shirt and hauled his arm back, fist ready to pummel his face.
“Wait,” Fin gasped, “I’m on your side.”
>
“Really,” Travis remarked sarcastically. “From where I see it, you be helping the bad guys. You need ta be giving me a mighty fine reason no ta be bloodying your nose right about now.”
When he took a swing at Fin’s face but intentionally missed, Fin reacted, bucking and twisting, throwing Travis off balance just enough for Fin to land a blow to Travis’ cheek. Stunned, Travis froze, glaring down at Fin. If they’d been at home, Fin’s bucking beneath him would have made him hot. Now it only made his balls hurt more.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Travis sputtered. “I never would have actually hit you.”
“You gave me no choice.” Fin grabbed Travis’ wrists. “I know about the ghost you saw last time we were camping.”
Travis jerked his wrists free and absently dropped his hands to his sides. He didn’t remember telling anyone but Lynn about his experience. How did Fin know? He slid off Fin to sit beside him. “How’d you know about that?”
Fin sat up. “I found you lost in the woods around dawn babbling incoherently about what happened. It took a bit of coaxing ta get it out o’ you but even then you only gave me bits ’n pieces. When I finally put it together, I knew you’d found it.”
“Found what?”
“The cursed MacKinnon my ancestors swore ta protect.”
“The who of what?” Travis couldn’t have hidden his confusion if he tried.
Several yards away, the sounds of two people stumbling through the woods and calling Fin’s name had them both jumping to their feet. Fin clasped Travis’ shoulder.
“I don’t have time ta explain right now, but you got ta trust me on this.” He released Travis with a quick, tender kiss to the spot he’d hit on Travis’ cheek, bent and scooped up the lantern. “You find the lass. I’ll guide those two in the wrong direction. We’ll meet at our favorite campsite just north o’ here as soon as possible. Just find the lass before anything happens ta her.”
