by B. J. Scott
Kyle stopped rowing and reached behind Gwen. “What’s this? I didn’t notice it when we climbed into the boat.” He scratched his head. “I’d swear it was empty.” He dragged a canvas sack forward and opened it, a broad smile crossing his face. “They thought of everything.” He pulled out a length of thick wool fabric and handed it to Gwen. “Take off your wet gown and wrap yourself in this.”
She didn’t need to be told twice and stripped down to her chemise, then wrapped the dry fabric around her body, reveling in the warmth. “Is there one for you?” She peeked into the sack and frowned. Instead of another plaid, she found a flagon of whisky and some oatcakes.
He shook his head. “I’m fine,” he said, then began to row faster.
“But you’ll catch pneumonia if you don’t get out of those wet things.”
“Don’t worry about me, Gwen. I’m already working up a sweat and if I keep it up, I’ll be warm in no time.”
She could tell he was lying and was every bit as cold as she was, but there was no point arguing. After opening the container of whisky, she offered it to Kyle. “At least have some of this. It might help to warm you from the inside out.”
Kyle brought the flagon to his lips, took a drink, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “A shot of whisky never tasted so good. You should have some too.” He handed the spirits back to Gwen. “I noticed some oatcakes, have one if you’re hungry.”
She capped the whisky and put it back into the sack. “I have the plaid, so will save the spirits for you. As for the food, I think it best we wait. There is no telling how long it will be before we reach the shore, or when we will find food.” She wanted to say if they reached the shore, but was determined to remain as optimistic as possible. She had never been a quitter, and after all she’d been through, she wasn’t about to give up now.
After a few hours, Gwen cupped her hand over her eyes and peered in the direction from which they’d come. “Do you think they’ll follow us with the ship?” She was much warmer now and couldn’t help wondering what happened to Blair and his brother. “I hope your cousins are safe and the laird didn’t find out they were part of my escape.”
“I haven’t known them long, but they strike me as quite resourceful. I doubt they’d leave themselves without options. Besides, the only one who might suspect them is the guard who was watching your cabin. But I doubt even he would put two and two together.”
She exhaled a heavy sigh—her breath turning to a fine smoky mist as it left her lips—and twisted the edge of the plaid around her finger. “I hope you’re right. I’d hate to think they were punished on my account. Laird Gower is a very cruel and vindictive man. I shudder to think what he’d do to them if he found out.” She closed her eyes, remembering the encounters she’d had with him and the fear he evoked in everyone he met.
Kyle slowed his rowing again and glanced up at Gwen. “Did Gower hurt you? Did he...”
While he stopped mid-sentence, Gwen knew what he was about to ask. She reached out and caressed his hand. “No, he didn’t rape me. We had words and he hit me, but only once. Aside from that one time and the verbal abuse, he never touched me sexually.”
“I’m glad,” was all he said, then picked up the oars and began to row again.
After telling her of his adventures so far in medieval Scotland, how he came to befriend Blair and Rory, about his uncle, his visit to MacQuin Castle, and countless times how much he loved her, Kyle rowed in silence. Gwen took her turn as well, hoping to spell Kyle and give him a chance to rest, but they covered a lot more distance in a shorter time when Kyle manned the oars. He kept saying he was fine and didn’t need a break, but she knew he was just saying that on her account. It seemed like forever, but by the grace of God, they finally reached the shore, landing close to where the ship had set sail.
The sun was setting when Kyle pulled the boat onto the sand. He helped Gwen climb out, then crumpled to his knees.
Gwen squatted beside him and lightly stroked his back. His shirt had long dried, but his skin still felt clammy. “I can’t believe we made it.” She peered out to sea, relieved there was no ship on the horizon. “You must be exhausted.” She nuzzled his ear with her nose.
“We both need to rest for a bit before we start back to MacKay Castle, but not here.” Kyle slowly rose to his feet and drew Gwen into a tight embrace. He swept a lock of hair from her forehead, then kissed her brow and her cheek, before kissing her soundly.
She opened her mouth, granting him access, and returned his kiss with equal enthusiasm. When he pulled away, she felt empty. “What’s wrong?”
“Not a thing.” He gave her another quick kiss on the forehead, then plucked the sack from the boat. “We’ll need this for the journey. But we also need to find a place that is not so open where we can rest.”
She glanced around the beach and toward Collin Gower’s castle. “Duncan’s brother lives just beyond that ridge. If he finds us on his land, and learns that I abandoned Duncan, he will kill you and hold me prisoner until his brother can return for me.”
“I know where he lives. We made camp in a clearing not too far from his keep last night, and planned how best to rescue you. We hid three horses in a cave not far from where we made camp. Hopefully they are still there. We can rest a bit, then take my mount and head back to MacKay Castle, where my uncle will grant us sanctuary from Damen. We’ll leave the other two in hopes that Blair and Rory got away as well.”
She also hoped the MacKay brothers had gotten off the ship, but if what Kyle said was true, she couldn’t see how it could happen, not if they’d punched holes in the other small boats. They’d put their lives on the line to save hers, a debt that could never be repaid, and she’d be eternally grateful. “I know the odds were not in their favor, but pray they got off unscathed.”
Her thoughts returned to their current situation. While she and Kyle had managed to get off the ship and back to shore, they were by no means out of danger. The question was where to go? Kyle needed to rest before he collapsed, and they ran the risk of being caught if they tarried on the beach any longer. They couldn’t go back to her father’s castle, not while Damen was there and acting as laird.
She had no doubt he’d lied about Ainsley and may have even murdered her to carry out his fiendish plan. By sending her instead, he was protecting his identity and the life as a mortal he loved so well—well enough to kill for it. If she returned to MacQuin Castle, he’d never let her live. But is if she didn’t, Gwen go back, she worried about Lilith and what he might do to her. She was also concerned about accepting help from Laird MacKay. She didn’t want to be responsible for a clan war.
“I don’t see how we can go to MacKay Castle and not cause a feud if Damen finds out.”
Kyle cocked a brow. “You’re not suggesting we go to MacQuin Castle, are you?”
“No. Damen would not only punish me for disobeying him and running away from Duncan, but he’d surely kill you for your part in it.”
“I’m a big boy and can hold my own against the likes of Damen.”
“Can you? There are things about him you might not know and should fear.” She wondered if telling him Damen was a changeling, an evil fairy bent on ruling his world at all costs would make him more cautious. Or would he think she’d lost her mind? She’d certainly thought it was insane when Beatha told her, but having seen it for herself, she no longer doubted the merit of Scottish legends.
“Do you mean because he’s from the other side, a changeling capable of great evil?” Kyle asked in a matter-of-fact tone. “Don’t forget I’ve met the man and wouldn’t put anything past him. Is he a rogue fairy? I’m not sure. But I’m not certain about a lot of things these days, especially things I once believed to be fact. Is he a vindictive devil who will stop at nothing to get what he wants? I have no doubt.” He slid his fingers under her chin and raised it until their gazes met. “I also believe that together we are stronger than him, and good will triumph over evil in the end.”
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Tears welled in her eyes, but she managed to keep them at bay. “A noble thought, but at what cost? He torments his mother without mercy and may have even killed her by now.” Her heart clenched at the thought. “I have reason to suspect he killed his cousin so he could send me to the Gower in her stead. Blair and Rory paid the price for helping me, and who knows who else have been or will be harmed so he can get what he wants.”
He used the pad of his thumb to catch a stray tear, then kissed her. “We don’t know for sure what happened to Blair and Rory. Hopefully nothing. As for his cousin and Lady Lilith, we can only speculate. You’re a lawyer, Gwen, and you know that is not conclusive evidence.” A smile tugged at his lips and he took her hand. “One thing I do know for certain is that I love you and will do what it takes to protect you. I also know that you’re exhausted and need some rest. Let’s go to the cave and see if the horses are still there. After we’ve rested, we’ll decide what to do.”
Chapter Twenty
They made their way to the spot where Blair had secured the horses and what Gwen hoped would be a place to rest and make plans for how to proceed, but she couldn’t shake a strong sense of foreboding. “Are you sure we’ll be safe here?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure of anything. I keep hoping it’s all a bad dream, and I will wake up and find you snuggled beside me in bed after a night of passion.”
“I’ve been wishing the same thing since this started, but I’m afraid we have to face the fact that this is real and we might not be able to go home.” The thought of never seeing her parents or grandmother again bought unbearable pain to her heart. She worried about Beth. They’d been best friends since grade school, and while she was a grown woman, Gwen liked to think she was the common sense side of a friendship and Beth the lighthearted frivolous side. The only good thing was that Kyle had followed her into the past and she knew now beyond a shadow of a doubt that they really were meant to be together. She just hoped they’d have the chance.
“We’re here.” Kyle moved some brush and branches from the entrance to the cave. “I’ll go first to make sure the coast is clear.” He withdrew the dagger from his boot.
“I saw you drop that in the scuffle with the sailor and didn’t know you brought it along.” Of course she was so caught up in the moment of terror, she was certain there were many things she’d missed. And while she had never been one to endorse violence, she was glad they had some sort of protection.
“Never know when I might need it,” he said, smiling. “Wait here.” He entered the cave, leaving Gwen at the opening.
When he didn’t return immediately, Gwen feared the worst. Possible scenarios flooded her mind, none of them good. She wondered if he’d gotten lost or hurt. She wondered if someone had discovered the cave and lay in wait, or if it was inhabited by a wild animal that might have attacked him. While tempted to go inside and check on him, she waited as instructed.
“Coast is clear. Come on in.” Kyle stepped aside so Gwen could enter, then tugged some brush in front of the opening before joining her.
Gwen stopped dead in her tracks, stunned at what she saw. A fire roared in a stone pit located in the center of the cave and a pelt lay on the floor beside it. There were three horses tethered to iron rings on the far wall, each with a wooden bucket of water and a pile of hay. She whipped around to face Kyle. “This is amazing. But it’s a cave.”
He sat on the pelt and motioned for her to join him. “I’m surprised you’re still standing and not yet suffering from hypothermia. Come warm yourself up.”
She nipped her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle the urge to giggle. The sudden onset of giddiness was likely brought on in part, by utter exhaustion, but seeing Kyle in a cave, dressed like a fourteenth century Highlander, yet speaking like a twenty-first century doctor struck her as funny.
“Fortunately, I had the wool plaid Blair left to keep me warm, but you had nothing.” If not for the dry length of fabric, she wasn’t sure she’d have survived. If she ever got the chance to thank him in person, she would, wholeheartedly.
As she watched Kyle stoke the fire and add more wood, she wondered what it would be like if they couldn’t go back, or if by some slim chance they decided to stay in this century. With her education and Kyle’s expertise as a physician, she could only imagine how much they could do for the members of Clan MacQuin, especially the children. But Kyle had crossed time barriers to bring her home, and as long as Damen ruled the clan, he’d never allow them to help the poor.
She glanced around the cave, then hesitated when in the shadows, she noticed a stack of wooden kegs, water barrels, logs neatly piled along the wall, and a stack of pelts and plaids. “I still can’t believe this place is here and stocked with supplies too.”
“Blair told me that since the war with England heated up, these sorts of places have popped up throughout the Highlands. They are designed to be emergency shelters for Scottish soldiers, a place to go if caught up in a lengthy battle and in need of shelter, or in some cases, a spot to hide.”
Her stomach suddenly knotted with dread. “If Blair knew about this place, so must Collin Gower. It is on his land. And perhaps Damen knows too.” Panic-stricken and fearing the worst, Gwen rose, but Kyle grasped her wrist and tugged her onto his lap.
“I doubt either of them will come looking for us,” he said, then slid the plaid from her shoulders, swept her hair aside and feathered kisses from her earlobe to the base of her neck. “Collin Gower thinks you are on a ship bound for the Orkneys and so does Damen. We can rest here for a while, then leave if you like.”
She moaned aloud, savoring the feel of his lips on her skin. When he reached beneath the plaid, cupped her breasts through the thin fabric of her chemise, and teased the nipples into taut peaks with his thumbs, she thought she’d come undone. She dropped her head back, resting it on his shoulder “If you keep that up, I won’t want to go anywhere,” she cooed.
“That’s what I’m hoping for.” He grasped the hem of her chemise and tugged it over her head, leaving her naked body pressed against his bare chest. He turned her on his lap so she faced him and stared at her in the firelight. “You’re so beautiful, Gwen, and I’ve missed holding you and making love.” He gently laid her down, then rolled her beneath him, trapping her between the pelt-covered ground and his powerful frame.
“I love you so much it hurts, and was afraid I’d never get the chance to tell you again.” He lightly traced her lips with the tip of his tongue, before pressing his mouth to hers.
She parted her lips and he deepened the kiss, their tongues tasting and tangling in an intimate dance while his hands explored and kneaded her breasts.
Tendrils of desire unfurled in her belly. She longed to feel his strong hands caressing every inch of her body, wanted him to thrust inside her, give her what she’d missed and craved so much.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known,” he murmured against her throat, then began to nibble on her earlobe.
Dizzy with need, she moaned and dropped her head back. When his warm lips touched her neck, she dug her nails into his shoulders and begged him for more. He cupped her breasts, his fingers teasing her nipples, deepening her desire. She gasped with pleasure, moist heat pooling between her thighs and he feathered kisses along her body, the intimate trail ending at the nest of curls at the apex of her thighs.
A wolfish grin tugged at his lips as he dipped his head, then snaked his tongue around her bud of arousal. He fed hungrily, slowly at first, then he picked up the tempo.
Gwen whimpered and squirmed, but couldn’t bring herself to ask him to stop the sweet torment. He lapped at her sensitive folds, licking from front to back and then in reverse, igniting a wild fire of passion, the pressure building until she didn’t think she could take any more.
“Enough,” Gwen pleaded on a strangled breath, but he paid her no mind. Instead, he brought her to the precipice of release time and time again.
Her breathing came in sho
rt sharp pants, her heart pounded, and every part of her body was alive with intense sensations, more powerful than she’d ever experienced before. Her legs began to quiver and her core clenched as a mind-numbing, bone-melting euphoria engulfed her. But he didn’t stop there. He continued to suckle until the last waves of her release subsided, and she lay motionless on the pelt, gasping for air. Only then did he release her from the intimate torture.
“That was amazing. “I can’t believe how every time we are together is more intense than the first.”
“It’s only the beginning, sweetheart. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since the day you left on your trip.”
“Make love to me, Kyle,” she muttered softly and raised her hips when he nudged her legs apart with his knee, his pulsing arousal resting against her thigh. Overcome with desire, she granted him access to her most intimate place, eager for what promised to be an earth-shattering union.
He entered her slowly, slid in a little, pulled out, then eased in further, mercilessly teasing her with each thrust, before burying his shaft to the hilt and setting her body on fire.
He rocked into her with wild abandon, setting a rhythm she matched with equal enthusiasm. When her feminine muscles clenched around his engorged shaft and she called out his name, Kyle increased the speed with which he pounded into her. He covered her mouth with his own, swallowing her whimpers of pleasure, riding her until he joined her in his own release and collapsed on the pelt beside her.
Exhausted and fully sated, they nodded off, entwined in each other’s arms.
~ * ~
Gwen opened her eyes, surprised to find she was no longer in the cave with Kyle, but standing alone in the middle of the fairy circle behind MacQuin Castle, the meadow lit only by the light of a full moon. “What happened and how did I end up back here?” She scrubbed her fists across her eyes, then turned full circle, taking in the area around her.
