Highlander's Desire: Winter Solestice (Against All Odds Series 2)

by Veronica Wilson

  “NO. No, I won’t leave you.”

  “You must. Now come on.” She quickly pulled on her clothes and walked with him to his parent’s home. His mother was on the porch.

  “Sierra. It is good to see you again. I wish we had more time, but we really must go now.”

  She turned to Brysen and her eyes widened a the look he gave her. “I won’t leave you.”

  “Yes, you will. It is ok. I can handle this. Go on now. Go.”

  She turned to walk away with his mother towards the woods and then when they were a few feet away she turned back to see him standing there looking at her. Without another thought, she ran back to him and pulled his head down to hers to kiss him. She felt his arms wrap around her middle tightly as he brought her close to his body. His mouth devoured hers like he was trying to take something from her. The kiss broke off suddenly and she looked up at him with wide eyes. “You come back you here me. If you die out there I’ll find you in the afterlife and kill you again.”

  “You know that doesn’t make sense right? I’ll already be dead.” He chuckled as he laughed at her.

  “That’s not the point damn it.” She smacked him on the arm and then glared at him.

  “I will see you at the winter village.”

  “OK.” She briefly brushed his lips with her own and then she began to quickly follow his mother from the camp.

  The trip to the winter camp took 3 days. Her and Meredith, Brysen’s mother, took turns sleeping and keeping watch. When they reached the camp they had both slumped into bed and slept for a long time. The days went by slowly then. She stood on the porch and looked out looking for the man she was determined to see again. But he never came. Two weeks passed and still nothing. On the third week, she brought her fears to his mother. She quickly calmed her and told her that Brysen was smart and that she knew he was alright.

  She was sitting with Meredith in the living room when it happened. She grabbed her stomach and quickly made her way to the bathroom. Everything she ate came up this time. She knew what the problem was. She knew why she was sick every morning. She sighed as she sat back on her heels for a moment. As it subsided she rinsed and then wiped her mouth before coming back to the living room. She smiled at the older woman. “Something’s not sitting right.”

  “Must be that child you are carrying. How far along are you?”

  “What?”

  “Come my dear. I have given birth to enough children to know the signs of morning sickness when I see it. How far along are you?”

  She looked up at the woman expecting her to be mad but instead of a frown there was a smile on her face.

  “Just a couple weeks.”

  “Let me make you some tea. It will help with nausea.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Have you told my son yet?”

  She looked at her stricken but knew that there was no way of hiding it. She could tell from the woman’s eyes that she knew. She knew everything it seemed. “No.”

  “Oh.” She didn’t say anything else and the subject of her child was dropped to her relief. They stood there speaking of past times when they heard the shout. Jumping to their feet, they both ran outside to see what the commotion was. There was a wolf limping into the village. Sierra followed Meredith down the stairs to see the commotion. She knew that it was one of their people. When she got closer the wolf collapsed on the ground. Looking down she gasped at the site of blood everywhere and the flesh that had apparently been torn with teeth. Her eyes met the wolves and she knew instantly.

  “Oh my god. Brysen. Brysen!” She didn’t think twice as she ran to him and slid onto her knees beside him. “Someone help me.” She was vaguely aware of Meredith barking orders before someone was lifting the body up and carrying him inside the cabin. There was blood everywhere and she looked down at the wolf beneath her.

  “I must change.” He said it to her and there was something in his eyes like he thought she would leave. She stood there and waited. She had never seen one of them shift before. She had seen some of his people in their wolf form, but they had never shifted around her. Her eyes grew round as saucers as his body began to change. The hair that was all over his body started growing inward. Almost like it was being sucked inside his body. His legs began to grow and develop. His paws began to elongate into fingers, stretching from the rounded shape they had been before. Her eyes grew in size as she continued to stare at him. She wasn’t frightened just amazed as she watched him. Within minutes, there was a man laying on the bed in front of her instead of a wolf. It had not taken long at all for him to change although in her mind it had seemed like forever. “Please.” It was the last word before his head dropped and his eyes closed. She quickly ran to him. She noticed that she was farther from the bed now. She must have stepped back unintentionally as he had begun to shift. Placing her fingers against the side of his neck, she searched for a pulse and sighed in relief when she found one. He had passed out. Meredith made her way inside and between the two of them they got his clothes removed and starting cleaning the wounds.

  Sierra stared down at the man under her. It had been two days since he returned. He had done good in the beginning, but his wounds developed an infection. She knew that werewolves healed much faster than humans, but the infection had stopped his healing from progressing like it should. Her hand swept his hair back from his head. He was still warm with fever. Picking up the cloth beside her from the bowl, she ran the cool rag over his head and face. It would help to cool him down. He laid there and she watched his face twist with the pain he felt. He may have been asleep with the fever, but he could still feel it. She turned away slowly until he began to talk. He murmured through the night and day, but this was words he was forming loud and clear.

  “Sierra. She must go. She must go. Yes, father, I know she isn’t like us. Yes. I understand.” His lips stopped moving briefly and she looked down at the moisture on his chest. She realized suddenly that it was coming from her. The tears flowed as she sat back in the chair and looked at him. She knew what she had to do. The camp wasn’t the place for her. She knew that now. Apparently he knew that as well. She needed to leave. Her heart ached to think of raising her baby alone, but at least she would have a part of him with her. He would always be with her now. Sighing she stood and after washing her face she walked outside. Meredith looked up from the couch where she was knitting a yellow blanket.

  “He is talking now.” Sierra smiled at the older woman.

  “That is great. It is a good sign.”

  “Yes. So he will make it then right?”

  “Yes. We just need to get the fever to break and then we will know he will be alright.”

  She nodded before making her way over to the chair to sit. She sighed as she sat back and closed her eyes. She would go back to Virginia where her parents were. That was where she belonged. She knew however that it was something that she couldn’t tell anyone. As soon as his fever broke she would leave.

  Brysen’s fever broke the next day and she smiled when he finally opened his eyes. He didn’t speak however just smiled at her and then went back to sleep.

  Sierra left that night. She couldn’t say goodbye. It would be too hard and she would make a fool out of herself when she began crying all over him like a blubbering fool. She stood at the door and looked over at him. She knew now that she loved him. Had always loved him no matter how much she tried to tell herself she didn’t. She looked at Meredith sitting beside her son. Her lower body had a blanket over it as she leaned onto the bed. Her head was on the bed propped by her folded arms. She looked peaceful. Sierra’s heart went out to the woman. She had just lost her husband. Meredith was one of the strongest women she had ever met and over the last week they had nursed Brysen back to health and she had come to know her more.

  Turning she made her way into the kitchen. She took the keys to the huge truck they had outside. Placing the note on the table she looked around once more and walked out to the truck. There were only a few t
rucks that could make it from the camp down the mountain and the village had five of them. One was Brysen’s. She put the truck into gear and began her trek down the mountain and back to Virginia.

  Two Months Later

  The days seemed to grow longer now as Sierra began to show. She seemed more tired now and her feet were swollen. Her parent’s were aware of the situation, but she never told them who the father was. She didn’t need to answer any questions or get the third degree. She sat in the chair and watched her sister. She was happy now and her smile lit up the room. The wedding had been beautiful and Sierra was glad she hadn’t missed it. She watched her sister twirl around in the dress and felt herself grow envious. When the music stopped another one quickly started and she smiled at her father as she made her way to the food table. She always felt hungry. Like she couldn’t get enough.

  “Will you dance with me?”

  “Thank you but I don’t’ think I’m good on my feet right now.”

  “I think you are. I mean you walked for days with those feet and then drove down a mountain.” Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice and the words said. Slowly she turned around and looked up at him.

  “What are you doing here?” She gasped.

  “Well, first I was invited.” She looked over to see her sister smiling at her and her parent’s standing beside her. His voice brought her attention back to him. “Second I don’t’ know if I want to spank your ass or kiss you. I might end up doing both.”

  “You have no right to come here and talk like that to me. And my family will hear about this. They are a bunch of traitors.”

  “They care about you and they know the same thing that we both know.”

  She put her hands on her hips as she looked up at him. “And just what is that?”

  “That you belong with me. That this baby you are carrying…” His eyebrow shot up at her look of shock. “Oh yeah, I know about it. It belongs with its kind.”

  “You are not taking him from me.”

  “That is not what I meant. I mean he belongs with our people and us.”

  She looked up at him confused. “What do you mean our people? I am not a werewolf.”

  “Just because you cannot shift does not mean that you are not one of us.”

  “But you said that I should go. You said you understood I should go.” She shook her head at him.

  “When?”

  “When you were asleep. You said yes I understand. She must go. I know what needs to be done. I agree.”

  “I was dreaming of my father’s conversation. You took it the wrong way, honey. I was agreeing with him that you should go to the winter camp. That I understood that I need to make an honest woman out of you and tell you how I feel.”

  She looked confused for a minute and averted her gaze. “And what’s that?”

  “What?”

  Her eyes met his, then as he looked down at her. “How do you feel?”

  “If my actions haven’t showed you that I love you then I don’t’ know what else will.”

  “Say it again.’

  “What?” He smiled down at her as he drew her close. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” He pulled her closer as his lips dropped to hers. After he pulled her away he looked at her with the same grin that had caused her stomach to flip long ago. It still had the same reaction.

  “Let’s go somewhere so I can show you just how much I do love you.”

  She giggled as she led him away from the party. She was glad her sister’s reception was in a large hotel. They didn’t have to go far to get to her room. As soon as the door shut he had her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted her and carried her to the bed. Their clothes were gone in a matter of seconds and she felt him sliding into her as she sighed her contentment. This time, it was different between them. There was no urgency or rushed orgasm. He kissed her slowly and caressed her body everywhere as he showed her just how much he cared. As they laid together a few moments later she looked over and smiled.

  “What?”

  “I was just thinking of the baby.” His hand instantly went to her stomach to caress her. “Will they be able to shift.”

  “Yes. They have my blood so she will.”

  “What if it’s a boy?”

  “I will be equally happy,” He said with a smile. “Now that you will be my wife then we will have many children together.”

  “Hold on. Wife? Is that a proposal because it sure is a shitty one?”

  He laughed. “Sierra will you make me the happiest wolf in the world and be my wife.”

  “Yes. So how many children are we talking about?”

  “Lots and lots,” He said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Her body moved so that she was leaning over him and she gave him a seductive grin. “Then we better get started, huh?”

  “I knew you were a perfect match for me.” He laughed before he brought her lips to his own.

  THE END

  My Alien Lord

  An open road

  Moving at top speed, an armored personnel carrier traversed a barren landscape.

  Inside was a tightly packed team of trained soldiers, as well as a single non-military person. Deep in thought, she stared out the window, the glass preventing the wind from making her gorgeous raven hair dance. She was sizeable, easily taking up two seats with her wide backside. A specialist had had to stay behind so she would be accommodated properly, a fact none of the men seemed to be willing to let her forget.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked one of the soldiers, the only other woman in the vehicle. Physically, the female soldier was the exact opposite of the big woman, lean and dark-haired with a plain face.

  “No problem at all, ma’am.” The soldier’s voice was rough, but in a distinctly feminine manner. “At least for now.”

  Raising an eyebrow, the civilian replied with a question. “And what in the world might that mean, huh?” Military personnel can be simply unbearable, self-righteous as they are. The current world hailed them as heroes, while those of the less sought-after professions were often now considered second-class citizens.

  “What she means to say, Doctor Deborah Hall,” the voice of another soldier prevented the female one from answering, “is that we are one man short. If everything goes FUBAR, we might have needed that missing member of our unit. That is all.” The two specialists exchanged glances, not unlike a pair of combat hounds.

  Deborah scoffed at the unlikely prospect of potential danger. “What could possibly go wrong? When was the last time we had any contact with the invaders? Oh, I read the headlines, so let me give you an answer—three months.” She accentuated the words carefully, as if she had to manually stuff them into the soldiers’ ears. “That’s a full three months of complete lack of alien activity. That sounds like the end of the war to me.”

  “Or preparation for a greater offensive,” the female soldier interrupted.

  “Oh, please. Your guys have made such a media circus since you’ve put that new weaponry to use. I feel perfectly safe. Are you trying to tell me the claims about to the weapons’ effectiveness were exaggerated?”

  “No, ma’am,” the male soldier replied, again in place of his colleague. “Not at all. But an ambush is an ambush, and even a properly outfitted unit such as this one can lose to a good surprise attack.”

  “Can’t argue with that,” Deborah spoke her thoughts out loud. “But I don’t suppose the lack of one man would help you with that, would it?”

  “It wouldn’t hurt,” the female soldier replied, the coldness of her voice making Deborah uncomfortable.

  She really doesn’t like me. For a few seconds she considered if the other woman’s dislike was fueled by jealousy over Deborah’s beautiful features or plain dislike of her impressive weight. She had often been the subject of female pettiness earlier, despite her weight. Yeah, I know that look. Then, deeming it unworthy of effort, she put that analysis aside. I d
on’t care. I enjoy my life. Can she say the same?

  “So… which one of you geniuses inspected the site in my absence? Could it be your missing member? An archeologist as well as a soldier, you say? He must be quite a character.” She smiled as she finished her sentence at the other woman’s apparent disapproval.

  “The place would never have been inspected if I ran this operation,” the female soldier responded as she rose, gesturing to a colleague for a seat swap. He obliged. Silently, she sat in what used to be his spot. The other soldier was black, and did not appear as if he was in the mood for a conversation.

  Well, this shows promise of being a rather dull trip. Having noticed Deborah’s obvious displeasure at the lack of someone to argue with, the corporal merely smiled. Then he looked out the window, his thoughts no longer in the vehicle. The black man, on the other hand, merely stared right through Deborah, a clear indication of a long service record.

  Let me play along with this entire circus. It will pay off in the long run.

  Deborah closed her eyes, thinking back to the reason she even undertook the expedition in the first place. A long time ago, Deborah Hall had been one of the world’s leading experts in the field of archeology. Once upon a time, star-eyed students and lesser experts paid good money to hear her talk about her area of expertise. Then the invaders came, and that world shattered. All of a sudden, Dr. Deborah Hall was dead weight, a less than useful addition to the struggling human race. She needed food, a lot of it, and offered so little in return. She could neither fight nor scout. A person of so little practical value (at least to the military, which was in charge of everything) was entitled to only the most basic living privilege.

  I do not deserve the treatment I’ve gotten. Deborah had not spent the best years of her life in school to live like a pauper, but there had been no opportunity to change her position. Until yesterday, that is.

  She was contacted without warning. A pair of government goons had appeared on her doorstep, inviting her to see their superior immediately. She had put up a significant resistance, but they were insistent. Within half an hour Deborah found herself sharing the company of General Brock, the de facto leader of the safe zone she resided in. The general went straight to the point, showing her pictures of an area his men had accidentally unearthed by using high-grade explosives. The place was in the U.S., yet showed signs of Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Aztec, and a few other architectural styles. All of it appeared thoroughly artificial, as if someone had been playing an elaborate joke that only experts could comprehend.