Highlander Unchained (Highlander Trilogy 1)

by Donna Fletcher

  He leaned close, his hand resting in hers, and his warm breath fanning her face. “You wonder how I can protect you while locked away in here.”

  His lips were only inches from hers and his eyes were fired with a heat that set her own temperature rising and her heart beating madly against her chest. She had never laid eyes on a man as sinfully handsome as Cree. His looks alone could turn a woman’s thoughts wicked, not to mention the size and strength of him.

  “Worry not,” he said his breath whispering across her lips. “Trust me and I will always protect you.”

  Dawn shivered for she feared that if she trusted him, it would be like surrendering her soul to the devil.

  She released his hand and shrugged.

  “You still wonder how I could protect you being I’m locked away.”

  She nodded.

  Cree returned to tending her leg as he spoke. “I will give you information to give to Colum.”

  Her brow rose with suspicion.

  “You may not be able to talk but your expressions speak clearly.”

  The thought that he could read her so easily disturbed her. It had taken Lila years to be able to read her expressions. How had he been able to do it so fast when he barely knew her?

  “It is information that will satisfy him.”

  But be no threat to Cree, she thought. That would appease Colum but how long before he found out the truth? What would happen to her then?

  “That is all you presently need to concern yourself with,” he ordered. “Take what information I give you to Colum and you will suffer no more.”

  Doubt surfaced on her face.

  “Do not question your good luck,” Cree snapped and tossed the cloth into the bucket. Then he provided her with a tad of information, which she assumed was a lie but would probably appease Colum.

  “Now rest. You have suffered enough this day,” he said.

  Dawn wasn’t sure what to do. Never had she rested during the day. There was always work to be done whether in the kitchen for Flanna or in her own small cottage. Not that she would mind having a rest. She had barely slept last night and she was beginning to feel the pain of her wounds.

  “Have you yet to learn that I don’t give orders twice?”

  She yawned though no sound came with it and he stared at her oddly. Most people did when they realized that she never issued a single sound.

  “Your body agrees with me,” he snapped annoyed and blew out the candles moving them aside. “Now lie down and rest.”

  What else could she do? She stretched out on the blanket on her side and in no time was sound asleep.

  Cree braced himself against the wall and stared at her. Little light was available, the skies outside having darkened and rain having begun to beat against the hut. He bent his knee resting his arm on it and continued to stare at her.

  The more he stared the angrier he grew and he fought to contain it. It didn’t help that his eyes remained focused on her bruised cheek. His hand fisted when he thought of the pain she had endured when Colum had hit her not once but twice. He wished the man was standing in front of him right now, for he would squeeze the life out of him.

  He dropped his head back against the wall and shut his eyes for a moment. It would do him no good to lose his temper now. He’d make Colum pay for what he did to Dawn, just not yet. But when the time came he would enjoy making the man suffer.

  It did him no good to worry over Dawn or to place more importance on her than was necessary. She was a pawn like so many others and was to be used accordingly and yet...

  He shook his head letting his glance linger on her once again. He couldn’t help but feel protective of her. When she had yawned and not a sound came from her mouth he realized, though could not comprehend, the prison that she lived in. He felt trapped in the confines of this shack, to be trapped in the confines of your own mind was incomprehensible. Perhaps that was why he felt the need to protect her. Though if he was honest with himself he would admit that for some unexplainable reason he was attracted to her. Even in his anger at her injures he found himself admiring her slender leg. She had height to her for a woman, though he still stood a head over her. And she was more shapely than thin and he liked that in a woman.

  He grew hard with the thought of her and he cursed beneath his breath. He needed a woman that was the problem or so he tried to convince himself. He shook his head. He had more important matters to dwell on. He would see that she spent most of her time with him, and then shook his head.

  That might not be a good idea. Having her in such close proximity and having an aching need for a woman could prove a problem. He wasn’t interested in coupling with her whether she had a body that enticed or not.

  He let his eyes wander over the swell of her hip as she lay on her side and the way it curved to a slender waist and...

  With a bolt he got to his feet and turned his back on Dawn. He shook his head and forced his thoughts elsewhere, anywhere but here. He heard her stir behind him and he turned to see that she had sat up.

  Sleep lingered in her drowsy eyes and she pointed to him and her eyes turned wide. He knew that she asked if he was all right and he wanted to warn her not to do that, not to worry over how he felt, but he kept silent and let her concern stir his desire for her.

  She waited patiently for an answer even though her eyes were still heavy with fatigue. He growled and snarled that she should be more concerned about him than the much needed sleep she obviously required.

  He told himself to keep his distance, order her to return to sleep, and most of all turn away and not linger on her eyes that looked more languid with passion than with sleep. It was wishful thinking. She would not want him to touch her; she would startle and scream if she could. Or would she do what Colum expected of her and rut with the prisoner?

  He was tempted to find out, though he warned himself against it.

  Keep your distance. Keep your distance. The words echoed in his head but did he pay heed?

  Not for long. He stomped over to her in two easy strides, dropped to his knees in front of her and brought his mouth down on hers. She did what he expected, leaned back away from him and he followed her down until she lay flat on her back, his hands braced on either side of her head. And then he kissed her.

  Chapter Nine

  Dawn had feared this moment, the anticipation of it causing her endless worry and yet it was necessary to her survival. If she didn’t couple with him, have his scent upon her, Colum would make her suffer.

  Cree’s powerful strides had startled her as he had advanced and dropped down beside her. His intentions were obvious; he would have his way with her and be done with it. Instead he kissed her and the unexpected happened; it sent a pleasant shiver rippling through her.

  His hand took hold at the back of her neck and his lips pressed against hers with a strength that turned her shiver to a tingle. She startled again when his tongue invaded her mouth and she braced her hands on either side of her to steady herself. Surprisingly, the more her tongue sparred with his the more she enjoyed the kiss. It hadn’t been intentional; she had meant to avoid his brash invasion, instead she seemed to have fueled something inside herself.

  His other hand slipped around her waist and eased her back on the sleeping pallet following down on top of her, the kiss uninterrupted. The heat from his hard body drifted into her and strangely enough comforted her. Fear tingled at the recesses of her mind but his kiss held it at bay.

  When he drew his mouth away she felt a moment of loss but then he brushed his lips over hers as if teasing her.

  “My kiss is the first you have ever tasted?” he asked in a whisper that sent tingles rippling across her passion-plumped lips.

  She nodded realizing a heathen had been the first to kiss her and oddly enough she wished he would kiss her again and as if hearing... he did.

  She couldn’t lie still a minute longer. It was as if something inside her nudged her and without thinking her arms wrapped slowly aroun
d him. She had never felt such strength before, his thick muscles as hard as stone and yet his flesh smooth to the touch. She didn’t think, she wanted only to explore and so her hand slipped up beneath his long hair and along his neck where her fingers began to roam ever so gently.

  Cree was off her in an instant, his bare chest heaving as if he was breathless. She couldn’t be sure if it was anger or passion she saw in his eyes. And she quickly scurried to sit up suddenly feeling defenseless lying prone while he stood so close towering over her.

  She waited and as she did fear began to crawl over her turning her skin damp and causing her heart to pound. What had she done wrong? He had kissed her but when she had touched him... the thought struck her like a slap in the face.

  He doesn’t want me to touch him. Most everyone avoided being touched by her, as if she would inflict them with her horror. And yet he had wrapped himself around her to sleep or had it been because he didn’t trust her and so kept watch over her that way?

  Whatever it was she had been a fool to respond to his kiss. He was a heathen; he cared for no one. He would have his way with her simply because there was no other woman but her to assuage his need. And there had been need, she had felt it swell against her as they kissed. Why hadn’t she kept her hands to herself? He would have taken her and it would have been done with or would it? Could she truly admit to herself that she had enjoyed his kiss and had been sorry to have it end? Then she recalled Flanna’s warning not to touch the devil or she’d become a slave to his passion.

  She quickly recited a prayer for her sinful action and turned her head away from him. Lord forgive her, but she wished Colum had never caught Cree for then life would have gone on as always. And she could have continued to pray and dream that somewhere there was a man brave of heart and soul who would love her.

  Not knowing what to do and not wanting to see anger or disgust in his eyes she stretched out on her side, her back to him and shut her eyes. There was nothing she could do. She was trapped here with him just as her voice was trapped somewhere never to be set free.

  Cree stared at her back fighting to control the urge to rush over to her and... damn but he had had his way with more woman than he could remember so why not have her and be done with it. He made a fist and pressed it to his gut. He had felt as if he had been punched quick and hard when he had kissed her, the kiss having stolen his breath.

  She tasted sweet and so delicious that he could have drunk of their kiss forever. He had known in an instant how innocent she was, her kiss unsure, her tongue darting in fright and uncertainty. He had felt the wild thumping of her heart against his chest, felt when her body grew languid with passion and knew that she would surrender to his touch, but then... she had touched him and everything changed.

  Never, not since the first woman whose legs he had laid between had he gotten so quickly and so thoroughly aroused. He had grown so hard, so fast that he was still fighting the urge to join her on the pallet and make love to her.

  He turned away in disgust. What was the matter with him? He made love to no woman. He’d give a good poke and be done with it. Not that he rushed, which was why he always sought a woman with stamina and one that would make no demands on him.

  He had plans for his future and it didn’t include a peasant woman who couldn’t speak.

  Innocent.

  The thought had him growing even harder if that was possible. Never had he taken a woman’s innocence. Just the thought that he had been the first to kiss her and taste her sweetness made him feel all the more protective of her. It was as if with that kiss he had laid claim to her and she now belonged to him and no other... ever.

  He heard her stir and he turned. She lay so that the sparse light just caught her face and he shook his head. She was plain of features; no one would look twice at her, though no one would turn away. One thing he did notice about her was that she kept herself cleaner than most other woman he had known. There was a fresh scent about her and her hair was soft and shiny and her skin was soft to the touch.

  Damn, if he didn’t excite himself again with thoughts of her. This had to stop. He could not let his need for a woman interfere with his plans. It had taken many years of sacrifice and endless bloody battles to finally get here and he would not throw it all away on a voiceless, peasant woman.

  If need be he would take her innocence, but make certain his seed took no root and then see that she was protected. He would never let anyone hurt her; she would be safe under his rule.

  He sat a safe distance from her and forced his thoughts to focus on his plans. His arousal faded while his mind swelled with battle scenarios. He searched and found a twig and began drawing in the dirt. Not satisfied he would erase some and start again.

  He was so engrossed with maneuvering his troops that he didn’t hear Dawn stir awake. She lay quiet watching him. His brow was knit tightly in concentration, his eyes intent on the ground and his hand busy drawing.

  Drawings she understood; drawings gave her a voice.

  She got to her feet and his head shot up. She remained where she was, tapped her chest and pointed to his dirt drawing requesting permission to take a look.

  He waved her over and she went to him. He held his hand out and for a moment she hesitated but only a moment and then she slipped her hand in his. He assisted her as she lowered herself to sit crossed-legged, as he did, beside him. Her eyes went to the drawings. They were a bit crude but she was able to make out the mountains, valleys, trees and the squares she understood represented cottages while the Xs were warriors. And there were many warriors.

  She squinted, tilted her head and realized that she was looking at a battle plan. She glanced at him, holding up fisted hands and knocking them together.

  He nodded. “Aye, battle plans forever fill my thoughts.”

  She leaned her elbow on her folded knee, rested her chin on her hand and considered the drawing once again. She reached out and wiped away a couple of troops of warriors relocating them in different spots. She then pointed to the advantages of the moves.

  Cree studied the changes she made and was surprised that the slight shift in location did actually give his troops a better advantage, an element of surprise that could mean an easier victory. He was impressed by her quick mind. She had sized up the plan and immediately spotted a flaw... and corrected it.

  She pointed to the mountains and raised her hand.

  “You’re asking if the mountains are high.”

  She nodded and pointed to the valley, then held her hands out at different levels moving them up and down.

  “The height of the mountains and depth of the valley can make a difference.” Again he was surprised at her perception, though suddenly realized that it could present a problem if he allowed her to continue to study the drawing.

  He ran the stick through the drawing several times and Dawn turned questioning eyes on him.

  “I’m hungry,” he said and stood then reached down and grabbed her at the waist and hoisted her up. She winced and his nostrils flared. He had forgotten about her wounds.

  She didn’t seem to let it bother her. She slipped away from him and lit the candles she had brought with her and then got busy arranging food on the sleeping pallet.

  He watched her amazed by her graceful movements and the way she took pains to arrange the food for him. But then she was a servant and it was her duty to please him.

  The thought struck him hard. Had she responded to his kiss out of duty? And if so why did it disturb him? She had been given orders and she had suffered the consequences of those orders when she had no information to give Colum. So had she been doing her best to please the man who could cause her great pain and not him?

  Anger boiled up inside him, though it made no sense. Why should it matter to him one way or the other? She meant nothing to him, though... he felt a tug in his gut. She was a pawn in a dangerous game, being played by everyone around her and she was doing her best to survive. How could he fault her for that? Ac
tually he had to admire her. She did what she had to do and spoke not a complaint.

  She couldn’t speak.

  It still astonished him that she could not make a sound, not even a grunt. He had seen others who could not speak but they at least were able to grunt or make some type of noise. He had never known anyone who had lost their voice entirely. And to think she had this since birth. He wondered if any children she birthed would be afflicted with the same horror.

  It also surprised him how she had adapted so well to her affliction, though some would think it more a curse. She appeared to communicate with anyone who paid heed to her, though he doubted many did. They more than likely assumed her ignorant and cast foul words upon her rather than a pleasant word.

  She smiled at him and pointed at the blanket, an array of food spread invitingly upon it.

  He joined her sitting opposite from her eager to partake in the meal and perhaps conversation. Strange that he actually thought of speaking with her when she could not say a word, and yet it seemed that he had discussed things more with her than any other woman he had known.

  She handed him a piece of meat and bread.

  “Eat,” he said, though it sounded like an order to his ears.

  She reached out and tore a small piece of bread off the loaf and nibbled on it.

  He was about to tell her to eat more when he decided against it. With the day she had been having he wouldn’t be surprised if she had no appetite at all, and he would not force her to eat.

  He reached for more bread and she quickly moved to help him, ripping several pieces off the loaf and placing them in front of him. Her duty was to serve him and she was seeing her duty done. The thought gave him pause and he wondered what else Colum expected of her this day.

  “Is there anything else that Colum wants from you?”

  She didn’t need to speak, the way her body turned rigid spoke louder than words.