by Donna Grant
“Peachy. I’m just going for a run.”
“It’s, ah … Well, there’s snow on the ground. Lots of it.”
Tara shrugged. “It’ll make my workout even better.”
“Fallon isn’t going to like this.”
“Fallon is the one that told me this castle was protected. I’ll stay within the confines of Isla’s shield.”
Gwynn licked her lips. “It’s nearly lunch. Are you hungry?”
“Not right now,” Tara said, and moved past Gwynn into the hall. “Thank you though.”
“Tara,” Gwynn called before she could walk away. “I know you don’t know us yet, but we’re here to help you.”
Tara looked over her shoulder at Gwynn. “And I appreciate it. I’ve been alone for ten years, Gwynn. I’m used to being on my own, doing my own thing. I don’t like answering to anyone.”
“We aren’t asking you to,” Gwynn hurried to say, her violet eyes beseeching her.
“I like you, Gwynn. I’m glad you and the other Druids found a place here.”
“But it’s not for you, right?” Gwynn finished.
Tara noted the way Gwynn’s expression had become flat, as if she had expected exactly this from her. Tara wanted to agree, but instead she found herself shrugging.
“Actually, I don’t know what’s for me anymore. I thought I knew what Warriors were and what they would want from me. So much has changed over the last days. I need to find myself again.”
Gwynn’s smile was kind. “I hope you find it here. Come. I’ll walk with you to the great hall.”
Tara was grateful for Gwynn’s kindness. She hadn’t known what she expected from Ramsey, but after his kisses, she had wanted more than waking up alone in the tower.
Gwynn spoke of the castle and inane things as they made their way to the hall. The only ones in the hall were Larena and Fallon who were playing chess, and Arran who was on a laptop.
As soon as they entered Fallon’s head snapped up, his eyes locking with Tara’s.
She didn’t give him a chance to say anything as she declared, “I’m going for a run.”
“In the snow?” Fallon asked.
Larena laid her hand atop Fallon’s. “Leave her alone, love. She looks very capable.”
“I’ll not leave Isla’s shield,” Tara said. “I just need to get out. I normally train every day, and it’s been almost a week.”
Fallon’s brow furrowed. “You train?”
“Aye. How else do you think I eluded capture from Declan for a decade?”
He gave a quick nod. “Stay within sight of the castle.”
“Please,” Larena added as she squeezed Fallon’s hand.
Fallon sighed and grudgingly said, “Please.”
Tara held in a smile as she walked out the door. Once on the steps, she tightened her ponytail and stretched her legs as she looked around the snow-covered bailey.
A Range Rover, a Mercedes G-class SUV, and an Audi R8 all sat in the bailey. Tara walked between the Mercedes and the Audi slowly so she could look through the windows.
After ogling the vehicles, she continued to stretch her arms until she was through the gatehouse. She spotted Ramsey and the others quickly and kept close to the stone wall around the castle. The last thing she wanted was for Ramsey to see her. The point of her getting out of the castle was to clear her head of him.
Tara waited until she could no longer see the Warriors before she started running. The snow was thicker than she had expected, but it added an extra element to her workout. It wasn’t long before her thighs were burning.
With a smile on her face, she ran along the cliffs, the spot Isla had shown her where the shield ended in her sights. As soon as she got there, Tara turned right and ran along the shield.
With her breath billowing in front of her and sweat running down her back, Tara welcomed the pain that came with such a workout. It wasn’t so much that she enjoyed hurting herself, but it helped her to know how far she could push her body when the need arose.
By the time Tara ran around the village Ramsey and the others were gone. She sighed, glad that she had this time to herself.
In some spots the snow was so thick that she had to slow to a jog, but she never stopped. She’d let herself go soft once she had reached Dunnoth Tower, and she was paying the price now.
Though Tara couldn’t see Isla’s shield, she could feel the buzz of the magic. It made it easy to follow as she continued her run. By her estimate, by the time she reached the gatehouse, she had run almost three miles. Which wasn’t long enough.
Tara wiped the sweat dripping into her eyes and started on another lap.
With each pump of her legs, the emotions that had built in her chest concerning Ramsey, the Druids at the castle, and even Declan’s finding her began to ease.
With each mile she ran her head cleared a little more. And she was going to need a clear mind in order to keep her wits about her.
* * *
Ramsey watched the ease with which Tara ran. It was obviously something she did often. She didn’t look up at the castle, but even if she had she wouldn’t have seen him. Ramsey kept out of sight.
After her second lap around the area, she jogged into the bailey and walked to cool down. To his surprise, she ventured into the stables.
More curious than ever about her, Ramsey quietly followed her. He found a spot at the top of the stables where he could watch her.
She moved from stall to stall testing boards. Then she walked to the center and began doing push-ups. She was at fifty when Ramsey felt a presence beside him.
He glanced over and saw that it was Quinn.
“Damn,” Quinn whispered.
Ramsey nodded, unable to find the words. Despite all the time he’d spent watching Tara and learning about her past, he’d not known about her strenuous workout.
She finished with her push-ups and removed her jacket to reveal a black tank. She discarded the jacket and flipped onto her back and began doing crunches and full-body sit-ups.
Ramsey wasn’t sure what else she could do when she rose from the ground and looked around the stable with a smile on her face.
In a flash she ran to the first stall, and with her hand atop the tallest board, threw herself over it. She dropped to the ground, legs bent, and rolled sideways before she was on her feet again leaping over the next stall.
The routine continued from stall to stall, and every time Tara would drop to the ground in a different way.
“Impressive,” Ramsey said.
“Verra,” Quinn agreed. “It’s no wonder she evaded Fallon and the others when they tried to reach her in Edinburgh.”
Ramsey watched the way her sleek body moved effortlessly. Her muscles were toned, tight. He’d felt along those limbs and knew firsthand what a wonderful body she had.
But he’d never seen it like this. He’d never witnessed how limber she was, or how flexible. He’d never seen such a smile on her face as she pushed her body harder and harder.
And Ramsey had never yearned for a woman like he did her.
He wanted to drop from his hiding place and join her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, touch her. And God help him, he wanted to strip off her clothes and see every inch of her body for himself.
“Does she know?”
Ramsey jerked his gaze to Quinn. “What?”
“How badly you desire her.”
Ramsey looked away from the keen green eyes of his friend. “Nay. It’s best if she doesna know.”
“Why?”
“Why?” Ramsey repeated. “Are you daft, Quinn? You heard everything in the great hall. I’m no’ a man fit to even think of having a woman such as Tara.”
Quinn gave a half smile and said, “Neither was I. But it didna matter how much I tried to resist Marcail. My need for her was too strong.”
“I doona need a woman complicating my life. I need answers about my people. About my family.”
“Maybe she can help.”
Ramsey looked back at Tara to find her leaning against the stable wall, her eyes closed and her chest heaving with exertion. Her golden-brown hair was plastered to the side of her face from her sweat, but there was a contented look upon her face Ramsey had never seen before.
“Nay,” he said. “I’ve saved Tara from Declan. The connection between us is severed.”
“And the kisses you shared?”
Ramsey frowned.
“Aye. Charon told us.”
Ramsey ran a hand down his face. “I…”
“I’m no’ asking for an explanation, old friend. I just doona want you to walk away from something that you clearly want.”
“Oh, I want her,” Ramsey admitted aloud. “I want her badly, but I willna drag her into my life. She deserves more than that.”
“We’ll see,” Quinn said cryptically.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Tara didn’t know why she took so much care with her appearance after her workout and shower. She took extra long blow-drying her hair, though there wasn’t much that could be done with it.
She hated her hair. It wasn’t curly, but it wasn’t straight. It had a mind of its own, and did whatever it wanted to do no matter how much hair product she put in it or how many times she tried to flatiron it.
Tara looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She’d parted her hair to the side where the waves of her light brown hair fell down the side of her face. It didn’t look too bad, though how long it would look this good was anyone’s guess.
She’d even applied a little extra makeup. She normally didn’t wear much, but this time she added eye shadow and a hint of color to her cheeks. And before she’d changed her mind, she had applied mascara.
“Why?” she asked her reflection. “Why are you doing this? To attract Ramsey?”
Tara shook her head. “No. I’m doing this to prove to the others I can actually look decent. They’ve only seen me damp from the snow and sleep deprived with my hair sticking out everywhere.”
She wanted to look good, and there was nothing wrong with that.
“And I’m not doing this to impress Ramsey,” she told herself for the tenth time.
She just wasn’t sure how true that was.
Tara ran her hand down her hot-pink form-fitting sweater to her black jeans. When she was on the move as much as she was, there wasn’t a lot of room for too many clothes. She had mostly jeans with one pair of khaki cargoes. And a few tops.
Not a lot, but it had never mattered to her before. Then again, she’d never known a time when she wouldn’t have to leave at a moment’s notice, unlike here at MacLeod Castle.
She’d been given the chamber and asked if she needed anything. Tara had said no, but it had been stocked with hair products and a blow-dryer.
Tara leaned her hands on the sink and looked into her eyes. “I could get used to this. All of this.”
But did she dare?
If there was one thing she’d learned while being on the run it was to never let her guard down. Declan had found her. He had to know she was with the MacLeods now. It was only a matter of time before he came for her.
Tara pushed away from the mirror and reached for the small diamond studs her grandmother had passed down to her on her sixteenth birthday.
After a glance at the clock showing her it was well past six in the evening, Tara decided she’d stayed in her chamber as long as she could.
As soon as she opened the door she smelled the delicious aroma of food. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and Tara wasted no more time walking to the great hall.
No one noticed her as she descended the stairs. The hall was chaotic, but in a good way. A quick glance told her everyone was there except Ramsey, as they all readied the table for the evening meal.
She was on her way to the kitchen when Saffron walked out with two large plates piled high with meat. Tara quickly took one as she and Saffron shared a smile.
“Thank you,” Saffron said. “I was about to drop it.”
“It smells so good.”
“We’ve plenty. Well, as long as you fill your plate before Galen eats it all.”
“Hey!” Galen shouted in mock outrage.
Tara found her smile growing as the teasing of poor Galen continued. It seemed he had a stomach that was never full and had a penchant for taking other’s food when they weren’t looking.
“Doona worry,” Arran said. “I’ll make sure he doesna touch your plate, Tara.”
Galen put his hand over his heart and sighed.
Reaghan rolled her eyes as she playfully punched Galen in the arm. “I warned you that you’ll be eating outside if you keep stealing food.”
“It’s no’ stealing if it’s right there, love,” Galen argued with a smile.
Tara watched as Galen pulled Reaghan into his arms and kissed her soundly. She’d seen open affection before, but nothing like what she observed at the castle.
The couples well and truly loved each other. They had all suffered greatly because of Deirdre, but together they had survived.
Tara wondered how her life would have been had her family not turned against her. Would she have been married by now? Maybe had a few children? Would her husband have loved her as the Warriors at MacLeod Castle loved their wives?
“Does it bother you?” Arran whispered from behind her.
Tara turned to him and frowned. “Does what bother me?”
“The affection between the couples?”
“No,” she said and looked down at her hands. “I was thinking how good it was to see that love really does exist. You can see it in the way they look at each other.”
“And talk to each other,” he added.
She looked up at him and smiled into his pale brown eyes. “Yes. Does it bother you?”
“No’ at all. I find it … odd sometimes. The first time I saw such love was between Quinn and Marcail.”
“Ah, while they were in Cairn Toul, trapped there by Deirdre.” Tara had heard everyone’s story during the two days she’d stayed beside Ramsey’s bed.
Arran chuckled. “We could all see it grow day by day. There is nothing the two of them willna do for each other. It was no surprise to come here and see Warrior after Warrior fall to love.”
“But not you?”
He scrunched up his face and laughed. “Oh, I doona think much about it. I am free of Deirdre, which is enough for me after all these centuries. Now, I do what I must to end the next evil.”
“Declan,” she said flatly.
“After that, I doona know what awaits me. Maybe a woman, maybe more adventure. I try no’ to look too far ahead.”
She looked down the table to find Charon and Phelan talking together. “What of those two? They don’t have women?”
Arran laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Phelan likes women. All of them. I doona think there is a woman out there who could hold his interest for long.”
“And Charon?”
Arran’s smile died. “Like most of us, Charon’s past holds him. He keeps a lot secret, so he may verra well have a women and none of us know it.”
Tara wanted to ask about Ramsey, but somehow she managed to keep her questions to herself. It was difficult since she was desperate to know more about him, but for her own sake, she refrained from asking.
“What about you?” Arran asked.
“I don’t prefer women, actually,” Tara said with a playful smile.
Arran threw back his head and laughed heartily. It had been a while since Tara had joked with someone and it felt good.
She soon joined in Arran’s laughter, and only belatedly realized everyone was looking at them.
“Oh, that was good, lass,” Arran said, still chuckling. “But seriously. There has to be a man out there somewhere.”
“Somewhere,” she said wistfully. “I like to think I won’t be alone all my life. I don’t allow myself to get close to people, Arran, not when I have to leave days, or sometimes hours, after meet
ing them.”
“You’ve had a hard life.”
“No more difficult than others, and I’d say a lot less difficult than any of you Warriors. This is my fate, and I accept that. But I won’t give up easily.”
Arran nodded approvingly. “Good for you, Tara.”
She found herself seated between Gwynn and Saffron in the middle of one side of the huge table. Tara found it unusual that the couples sat closest to Fallon while the single men and Fiona sat toward the other end.
The conversation during dinner never lagged though it was hard not to notice Ramsey’s absence. There were lots of laughter and jokes, and even stories. No one asked Tara to share a story, and she was eternally grateful. Not that she felt left out. In fact, she’d never felt so included in anything before.
All too soon the meal was over. When she rose to help clean, it was Isla who stopped her.
“We’ll handle this tonight.”
“It’s all right,” Tara said. “I don’t mind helping.”
Isla leaned close, her ice-blue eyes looking deep within Tara’s. “Ramsey is in the tower.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Why did you stay by his side while he healed?”
Tara glanced away, unsure how to respond.
“Ramsey has always kept his thoughts to himself,” Isla said. “He is one of us, yet he isn’t. He’s learned news of his past today, and he’s hurting.”
“He didn’t wake me.” Tara couldn’t believe she blurted that out.
Isla laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But Phelan told me it was Ramsey who put you in the bed, removed your shoes, and covered you so you could rest.”
Tara searched Isla’s eyes for any lies, but all she saw was truth.
“I don’t claim to know what is in Ramsey’s head, but he’s the one who analyzes everything before he gives an opinion. He’s careful. Always.”
Tara let Isla take the plate from her hand. She looked to the stairs.
“Go,” Isla urged.
Even though Tara knew it was a bad idea, she found herself at the stairs. She ascended them and made her way to the tower. Step by step she climbed the winding stairs until she stood before the door.
