by Donna Grant
Roderick carefully sat Elle aside as he rose to greet Hugh.
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Donna Grant
66
Hugh vaulted from his horse and embraced first Val then Roderick. “I never thought to see either of you again,” he said, his smile wide. “’Tis good to have you back.”
Roderick could tell Hugh wasn’t the same. Gone was the reserved man who had led them for more years then he could count, and in his place was a man that had found his place in the world. Finally.
“It is good to see you as well,” Roderick said and glanced down at Elle. “We need to get Elle inside.”
Hugh’s gaze followed Roderick’s. “I didn’t realize you brought someone along.”
If he noticed Elle’s clothing, he didn’t mention it as he pulled off his cloak and handed it to Roderick.
“She’s going to need that,” Hugh said as he reached for one of the horses.
Roderick took one of Elle’s arms and pulled her to her feet to wrap the cloak around her. “How is your sight?”
“Getting better every minute,” she said through teeth that chattered from the cold.
Hugh tsked as he mounted his horse. “You didn’t tell her to keep her eyes closed?”
“There wasn’t time,” Val said as he too mounted.
Roderick carried Elle to the horse since her feet were bare and lifted her onto the saddle before he climbed up behind her. The ache in his arm had lessened, but he knew it would intensify again once the joint was put back in place.
Roderick didn’t wait for Hugh or Val but spurred horse toward Stone Crest so he never saw Val and Hugh share a look.
* * * *
Elle’s eyesight was slowly returning, but not fast enough for her. She had been terrified at the thought of going blind, and when she had heard Roderick’s voice, she had wanted to cry from relief.
“Almost there,” Roderick said in her ear.
She snuggled against his chest and further into the warm cloak that had been given to her. She had never felt cold like this before. Her feet were already numb, and she feared frostbite. In Houston, it rarely got below freezing, but now she was sure it was well below zero, and she worried she might never thaw out again.
“Where are we going?”
“Stone Crest Castle.”
A real castle? Elle had only seen them in pictures and movies, and if she wasn’t so cold and scared she might have been excited about seeing her first castle.
“Open your eyes,” Roderick said.
The horse slowed, and Elle dared to open her eyes to find that her vision had all but returned. “I can see,” she said with a smile as she looked up at Roderick.
It was a mistake as soon as she did it. He was too near her, his body surrounding hers. She looked into his midnight blue eyes and wanted nothing more than to lean up and kiss him. His lips, full and straight, were so close to her she could feel his warm breath. Desire spread through her as she felt her breasts grow heavy and her sex clench with need.
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And as they stared at each other, Elle couldn’t help but wonder what might happen if she were prettier instead of the plain mouse that she was.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For
what?”
“Saving my life again.”
For a moment, she could have sworn his head moved toward hers, but then Val and the other man rode up on either side of them, and Roderick raised his gaze from her.
Elle’s heart fluttered. She had read of moments like these in books and seen them in movies, but to experience one herself, even if Roderick didn’t feel it too, would stay with her forever. She wasn’t a fool. She knew Roderick didn’t desire her, but there was no doubt about her desire for him that grew with each moment they were together.
“Stone Crest,” Roderick said.
Elle turned her head and gasped. Before her stood a mighty stone structure with round turrets, battlements, a gatehouse, and a massive wooden gate that two sword wielding men stood on either side of as they approached.
“It’s a real castle.”
Roderick’s chest rumbled as he chuckled. “That it is. I didn’t realize how much I had missed the ancient times until I was thrust into your world.”
“I would miss it to,” she said as she looked around at the absence of utility poles, roads, and cars. Even the air smelled cleaner without the many pollutants filling the air and water.
“Much different, aye?” Val asked.
“Very,” she answered. They drew toward the gatehouse, and Elle raised her head to see the huge stones that were used to build the gatehouse and the surrounding wall.
“Wow.”
“And Stone Crest is one of the smaller castles,” the man on the other side of Roderick said.
Since her back was to him, she couldn’t look at him, nor could she imagine a castle bigger than Stone Crest. It was very large in size. But her gaze shifted from the castle to the bailey.
People teemed about as children ran and played, knights trained and guarded, and people worked. Medieval studies had been part of her curriculum in college, and she had loved it so much she had even taken two extra courses on it.
The horses stopped before a set of steps that led up to a large door that could only be the entrance to the castle. A woman with strawberry blond hair stood waiting for them with a warm smile on her face.
“Mina,” Roderick called as he slid from his horse. “It’s good to see you in one piece.”
She laughed and embraced Roderick. “’Twas close, but we survived.”
“We’ll have the entire story later,” Val said as he approached her and also received a hug.
Elle watched it all atop the horse. Both Roderick and Val seemed more at home here than they had in the twenty-first century.
“We weren’t introduced properly,” Roderick’s friend said as he approached her.
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“I’m Hugh, Lord of Stone Crest.”
He was tall, probably an inch or two taller than Roderick with long dark brown hair that hung freely about his shoulders and sherry brown eyes. He was handsome and had an air about him that people would notice as a leader.
His clothes were dark like Roderick’s and Val’s, and she soon noticed the sword at his hip and the wicked looking crossbow he held in his hand, each displaying the mark of the Shields.
“I’m Elle Blanchard.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said with a friendly smile as he looked her over.
“Hugh? I thought Hugh was leader of the Shields?”
“I was,” he said. “Since neither Roderick nor Val have heard the story, I will wait and tell all of you later this evening when we eat. Now, come. Let’s get you inside to warm yourself.”
Elle was about to slide into Hugh’s arms when Roderick stepped beside him.
“I will see to her.”
She was surprised at Roderick’s gruff tone but was too happy to be in his arms again to care. She slid off the horse into his strong arms as he cradled her against his chest and strode into the castle.
Elle drank in the sight of the great hall with its painted wall behind the table on the raised platform, a dais if she remembered correctly. Candles were placed throughout the hall to help shed light in the dark hours. She found herself eager to explore more of the castle to see if her history classes had gotten it right.
“I hope you like it here,” Roderick said. “I fear you will be here awhile.”
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Chapter Fifteen
Roderick followed Mina as she brought him to a chamber for Elle. Mina stood at the door as he walked inside the chamber and released Elle’s legs so she could stand on the rug placed before the hearth.
“I never imagined anything like this,” Elle said in awe.
/> “This chamber has always been one of my favorites,” Mina said as she approached Elle. “My name is Mina.”
“Lady of Stone Crest?” Elle asked.
Mina smiled and glanced at Roderick. “Aye. I have ordered a hot bath for you to help you warm up.”
“Sounds
wonderful.”
Roderick turned to Mina. “Is there any way you can find a gown for her to borrow?”
“She needs a gown?” Mina asked.
In response, Elle opened Hugh’s cloak to reveal her shorts, shirt, and bare feet.
“Oh, my,” Mina said as she drew closer to Elle. “I never knew such clothes existed.” After a few moments, she turned to Roderick and nodded. “I will gather the necessities immediately,” she said before she walked from the chamber.
Roderick turned to Elle. “Are you all right?” He imagined she was in shock and hadn’t had the full force of what all had occurred hit her.
She gathered the cloak around her as her eyes filled with tears. “Jennifer is dead.”
“Aye.” He hated when women cried. Never did he feel so helpless than when the tears started, but Elle had every right to weep after what she had witnessed.
“I’ve lost the only family I had,” she said as the tears coursed down her face.
In two steps Roderick was before her. He gave the only comfort he could think of as he opened his arms. She came easily into his arms and held onto him tightly as her tears soaked the front of his jerkin. They stood in the middle of the chamber as the sobs wracked her body.
Her tears began to dry, but he knew Elle was far from finished with her mourning.
He reached down and gathered her in his arms to carry her to the bed. Her hands reached around his neck as her head buried against him.
He stood beside the bed as he held her. He knew he needed to go below and speak with Hugh, but he longed to stay with Elle. As much as he hated to admit it, what he felt for her was going beyond mere responsibility.
She had a soul-stirring vulnerability about her that tugged at Roderick. He couldn’t deny it any more than he could deny the breath that entered his lungs.
He turned his face toward her as Elle lifted her head. Her red-rimmed eyes and tear spiked lashes broke his heart. He regretted not doing more to save Jennifer. His sole concentration had been Elle and keeping her alive.
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As if she read his thoughts, her hand reached up and cupped his cheek. “This wasn’t your fault, Roderick. Nothing any of us could have done would have saved Jennifer.”
It suddenly became hard to breathe. Roderick had never known just how much he needed forgiveness until that moment. His eyes lowered to her dusky pink lips. He knew he shouldn’t want her, knew just what could happen if he became involved, but he couldn’t stop. He needed to taste her, to sample the innocence and woman that was Elle’s alone.
Her lips parted slightly, and he was lost. His head lowered until their lips barely touched. He heard her slight intake of breath as he moved his mouth against hers, his tongue sliding out to lick her full lips.
The one taste wasn’t enough. He needed more, yearned for more. This time when his lips touched hers, he was more forceful. Her head turned to the side granting him better access to her sweet mouth.
He brought his raging body under control as his tongue slid into her hot mouth giving him a small taste of paradise, but when she gave a small whimper, it was his undoing.
She opened her mouth wider and leaned into him, her hands threading into his hair. Her tongue touched his, sending sparks of raging desire to run rampant through him. He wanted nothing more than to lower her to the bed and push himself inside her, to feel the weight of her breasts in his hands, to see her head thrown back as her release wracked her body.
But he allowed himself this one kiss instead.
With his control rapidly running out, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes.
Her breathing was as ragged as his own, and the longing he saw reflected in her blue eyes nearly made him come undone. She laid her head on his shoulder and for long moments Roderick was content to hold her. When her breathing had evened, he gently lowered her to the bed to find her asleep.
He covered her with the thick blankets and smoothed her auburn locks from her face. “I will keep you safe,” he vowed before he straightened and turned from the bed to leave.
* * * *
When Roderick returned to the great hall, Val and Hugh sat at the dais conversing.
“We wondered what happened to you,” Hugh said with a smile.
Val, on the other hand, knew. “Is she grieving?”
Roderick nodded and sat with a sigh as Val poured him a goblet of wine. “She is strong. She will get through this.”
“I have no doubt,” Hugh said. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
Roderick looked around the great hall, noticing the other Shields were absent.
“Where are Darrick, Cole, and Gabriel?”
“Cole and Gabriel have left to fight more creatures.”
“And Darrick?” Val asked.
Hugh sighed and looked down at the table. “I will take you to him.” He rose and A KIND OF MAGIC
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walked from the castle.
“What happened?” Roderick asked as he stared down at the marker of Darrick’s grave.
“He died protecting Mina. The gargoyle went to kill her, and he stepped in between them.”
“Darrick died a warrior’s death,” Val said softly, his voice laced with sorrow at losing a brother.
Roderick turned away from the grave and looked at the land around him. It was a beautiful place and Stone Crest a good home. “I take it you killed the gargoyle?”
“We did. We also found the blue stone and destroyed it. The rest of the story will have to wait. I promised Elle she would hear it with the two of you.”
Roderick didn’t care. He still grieved over the loss of Darrick. Darrick had been a welcome addition to their group. Where most of them had come to be in the Shields for reasons they kept hidden, Darrick came because he wanted to be a part of something great. Where as most of them rarely smiled and had nothing to laugh about due to their pasts, Darrick would always manage to lighten the mood and even get a few laughs from them.
Without him they were a somber group to be sure.
“I will miss you, my friend,” Roderick said into the wind.
“Aye,” Val agreed as he came to stand beside him. “We will be joining you soon, Darrick.”
* * * *
Elle woke to find Mina sitting beside her. She jerked upright and touched her lips. Memories of her kiss with Roderick swirled through her mind. She had never had such an erotic kiss before. Even her body still pulsed with need.
“Is everything all right?” Mina asked.
Elle dropped her hand and looked at Mina. “Yes, I’m sorry. I was just thinking of something. Did I sleep long?”
“Nay. ‘Tis barely been half an hour since Roderick came downstairs. Are you ready for your bath?”
Elle nodded and climbed out of the warm cocoon of the bed. “Where is Roderick?”
Mina pressed her lips together as she turned away. “He and Val have gone to see Darrick’s grave.”
“Was he a Shield?”
“Aye. He gave his life for mine.”
“An incredible sacrifice,” Elle said as she walked to the tub where steam rose to the surface.
“I will return shortly,” Mina said as she walked to the door. “I have found some clothes for you and laid them on the bench at the foot of the bed.”
“Thank you.”
Mina stopped just short of leaving and turned back to Elle. “Do you need any assistance?”
“No, thank you. I will be fine,” Elle replied and returned the smile Mina sent her.
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When the door closed behind her, Elle quickly shed her clothes and climbed into the hot water. It wasn’t as hot as she normally liked, nor was the soap her usual Bath and Body, but it did wonders to revive and warm her.
She didn’t wash her hair, though she was tempted. Instead, she quickly washed and rinsed her body before the water chilled and rose from the tub. After drying off before the fire, she turned to the bench that held her clothes.
