Catie thought for a moment. “No, I don’t. I think Duncan has been bred to fight a war; it’s all he knows. And as a warrior dedicated to his mission, he went and found the perfect weapon…weapons,” she corrected herself. She reached over and took the bottle from her sister. Putting the bottle to her lips she tugged off a long swallow.
“Pace yourself, little sister,” Dani admonished. “You’re not used to the Mexican fire we put in our alcohol.”
Caitriona snorted and took another tug. Pushing the bottle back to Dani, she motioned for her to have another drink.
Laughing, Danika took the bottle from Caitriona and took a long drink, swallowing twice before setting the near-empty bottle back in front of Caitriona. “How are you going to get Duncan and Nicolas to go along with this plan?” Dani asked, slurring her words.
“I’m not,” Caitriona replied. She was finding it increasingly difficult to find her words. The heat that had spread throughout her gut now warmed her entire body and she was finding it difficult to stay upright. Standing, Caitriona squeezed her eyes shut as the room spun in maddening circles around her. Opening her eyes, she nearly stumbled back into the sofa she had just vacated as she tried to move too quickly. Danika didn’t seem as affected by the tequila, easily jumping to her feet and coming to her aid.
“I think you’ve had quite enough, little sister,” Danika reprimanded her, taking the bottle from her hands. Caitriona tried to grab for the bottle, but her hands found only air. She nearly fell over, but her sister’s arm was immediately around her waist, helping her avoid an uncomfortable nap on the cold stone-tiled floor. “Let’s get you outside where you can enjoy some fresh air,” Danika said, supporting Caitriona’s weight as they both stumbled toward the door.
As they passed the large gilded mirror that adorned the west side of the great room, Caitriona caught sight of herself and started giggling. What would the almighty warrior think now if he could see me? she thought. She decided she didn’t want to find out. “Duncan will be pissed if he sees me,” she slurred. She was finding it more difficult to stay on her feet.
“It’s far more likely he’ll be pissed at me,” Danika said, hoisting Caitriona’s weight so that her sister was balanced against her.
Caitriona started laughing again as her sister swung wide the door that led to the outer courtyard.
“Shh,” Danika warned. “If you’re trying to avoid the glowering giant, you might want to keep your voice down.”
At Danika’s description of Duncan, Caitriona burst out in another fit of giggles. She was soon joined by her sister, whose struggle to keep them both upright became even more fodder for their laughter.
“Katerine!” Nicolas’ deep voice cut through the din of laughter. Dani’s soft expletive caught Caitriona off guard and she looked at her sister as if seeing her for the first time.
“Keep quiet and let me do the talking,” Danika told her in as hushed a tone as she could muster.
“You have some ‘splaining to do, Lucy,” Caitriona giggled at her own witty reference to the I Love Lucy television show that ran for seven years during the 1950s.
“Shh,” Danika admonished her again. “I was just helping Catie to her room,” she addressed Nicolas without bothering to turn around. “She needs some rest.”
“I can see that,” he quipped, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Shit, shit, shit,” Dani mumbled under her breath. “He knows.”
Caitriona stumbled and nearly took them both down but Nicolas was there, his strong arms effortlessly ensuring they both remained upright.
“Goddess, you both smell like you took a bath in tequila,” he snorted in disgust. He wrapped his arm around Caitriona, effectively taking some of the burden from Dani. “How much have you had?”
“Not nearly enough,” Caitriona slurred, slumping against him.
“Are you out of your mind, Dani?” he questioned. She only stared at him. He shook his head. “I’ll deal with you later. Right now, just help me get Katerine to her bed chambers, preferably without running into Duncan.”
“I’d say it’s too late for that,” Duncan’s deep voice stopped their progress. Nicolas dropped his charge’s arm and spun to confront the leader of the Templars.
“I’m handling this, MacKinnon,” he said. There was a subtle warning in his voice.
A deep growl rolled from Duncan’s throat as he closed the distance rapidly. Caitriona could feel Nicolas bristle next to her. She had to do something to swing Duncan’s mercurial mood in a new direction. She pulled away from Nicolas’ arms but misjudged the distance and started to pitch forward. Dani reached for her, but it was Duncan who got to her first, scooping her into his arms. The contact with him was almost instantaneous, sending a delicious current throughout her skin. She knew she should resist, but the alcohol, coupled with her own desires, soon had her snuggling deep into his arms. She only wished she could make the world stop spinning. She groaned and buried her head against his chest.
“I’ve got her,” Duncan growled at Nicolas. Before the younger man could protest, Duncan nodded to Dani, who was struggling to stay on her feet. “Escort the lass back tae her chambers.”
“Not on your life, Templar,” Dani interjected, staggering over to Duncan and brushing her sister’s hair from her face. “She needs to be with her sister right now.”
“I’d say she’s had enough sister time for one day,” Duncan spat. “Look at her. Ye should at least ha’ the decency tae look sorry,” he scolded, his Scottish brogue in full force.
“Please don’t fight,” Caitriona murmured, patting Duncan’s broad chest in large, exaggerated movements. She liked the way his muscles felt beneath her hands. “Dani’s just trying to help.”
“I said I’d take care of her and I will,” Nicolas spat between clenched teeth. Caitriona could see the fury flash across his face as he locked eyes with Duncan, both men bracing for a tug-of-war of wills.
“If ye were taking care of her, she’d nae be here right now drunk off her arse with her sister!”
“Duncan,” Caitriona pleaded again. Her eyes were turning objects into blurry multiples. “Nicolas had nothing to do with this. Please, can you just take me back to the estancia? I’m not feeling well.” The latter wasn’t a lie. The tequila was rolling in her gut, making her question the wisdom of her earlier, impulsive actions. She wished she’d had the foresight to at least eat something.
Groaning, she breathed a sigh of relief when Duncan shifted her weight and strode purposefully with her into the quiet of the late afternoon.
“Damnu!” Duncan’s expletive resonated through the stillness of the late afternoon air. Caitriona twisted in his arms as he shifted her weight once again.
“I can walk, Duncan,” she pleaded with him. “Put me down.” She kicked her legs for extra emphasis.
“Damnu,” he ground out again, but set her down in front of him. She swayed on her feet as he released his hold on her. She groaned, but didn’t collapse. He took it as a good sign.
“How much have ye had, Leannan?” His voice was harsh, even to his ears, but her recklessness had crossed the line.
“What difference does it make?” she asked, taking a jolting step forward. Duncan watched as she exaggerated every step, the alcohol impacting her usual delicate movements.
“Sit down before ye fall down,” he barked. He gestured to a large boulder that had been used as part of the hacienda’s landscape. The perfectly manicured gardens sat in stark contrast to the vast desert that surrounded the Maester’s great estates.
“I’m going back to my chambers, Duncan. I’m sure you have somewhere better to be.”
“Aye, I do.” In truth, he had nowhere to be and had been searching for an excuse to be with her. But for some reason, her attitude annoyed him. He wanted her to need him as much as he needed her.
“I’m fine,” she bristled.
“Ye dinna look fine, lass. In fact, ye look a little green, almost like yer wan
tin’ to give up the contents of that bottle. Or maybe yer wantin’ a bit of food in yer stomach—maybe some good, hearty, Highland stew…”
“Duncan, stop…” her words trailed off as she spun on her heels and heaved violently at the base of a nearby rose bush, the alcohol-induced vomit marking the landscape and the air with a fetid, foul mess.
He grinned, his words having had the desired effect. He scooped the auburn tresses off her face and held her hair while she continued to empty the contents of her stomach. He knew she would feel better now that her body had expelled most of the alcohol. He took the corner of his plaid and wiped her mouth when she had finished dry heaving.
“Let’s get ye home, lass. Ye’ll feel better in the mornin’.” She started to protest but he scooped her into his arms. Once again, she snuggled deeper against his chest. This is where he liked her, close to his heart and in his arms. Within seconds he could hear the soft breaths that indicated she had drifted off to an alcohol-induced sleep.
He made short work of the trek to his estancia. Pushing open the door to his quarters, he carried her to his bed chamber and deposited her on the large four-poster, canopied bed, earlier images of a similar situation on board his starship flashing through his mind. She stirred softly and rolled to her side, but was soon back asleep. He removed her dress, leaving her clad only in her bra and panties. He could feel the longing in his loins as he stared at the delicate curves of her body. Her skin was pale and flawless. Her breasts swelled beneath the contours of the bra. He thought about removing her undergarments, but dismissed the thought. He hadn’t touched her since the night of the celebration party at Castle Dunrobin and knew she had been hurt by his apparent dismissal of her. She’s better off without me. The thought tore at him. She belongs to Nicolas now. Just let her go. But even as he thought the words, he knew his heart would never agree.
Tracing his hand lightly along the outside of her thigh, he sighed and pulled the covers around her, watching as she snuggled deeper within the softness of the blankets. He sat down next to her on the bed, watching the rise and fall of her chest as she drifted in and out of her dreams. He wondered if he were at the heart of her dreams, but pushed the thought away. He didn’t want to think about what he’d never have. He started to leave when she moaned his name. Something about the plea that was in her voice made him sit back down. He brushed the hair from her face. Maybe he had imagined his name on her lips.
“I don’t want to leave Duncan.”
“I’m right here, lass. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Dani, I know we have to do this, but I can’t...”
“Can’t what, lass?”
She groaned in her sleep and rolled to her side. Was she dreaming…or was she having a vision? He rose slowly, not wanting to disturb her. If it was a vision, he needed to know if it was useful intelligence in their fight against the New World Order.
“Don’t tell Duncan. You can’t tell him. He won’t let us leave. Promise me you won’t tell.”
Duncan stopped and stared incredulously at the Seer. She was planning to leave. His chest felt as if it had been hit with a heavy brick. He staggered backward and sank into the soft leather chair that stood sentry in a lone corner of the spacious, yet comfortable room.
He waited several minutes, wrestling with the idea that he should wake her. Perhaps it was nothing more than a dream.
“We can fix this, Dani. Trust me,” she mumbled. “We can go back before any of this begins and together we can fix it.”
Duncan groaned. Goddess, no, he thought, panic lacing his chest. She was planning to travel back in time to confront the Order. He stared at her, his mind screaming at him. He had to end this, but how? He wanted to wake her, confront her, and demand an explanation. But somehow, he knew that what she whispered in her sleep wasn’t prophecy. She was planning an escape with her sister. Goddess, does Nicolas know? Is he a part of this?
Her eyelids fluttered open and for a moment he thought he saw love for him in her eyes. But it passed quickly and she stiffened. He bent and kissed her forehead, easing her back against the pillows. “Sleep, Leannan.”
She sighed softly. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I will never leave ye, lass.”
She stared at him as if she was trying to find the meaning behind his statement. Climbing into the bed next to her, he pulled her against him. She tucked her head into the crook of his arm, her hand resting on his chest. He watched her for several minutes and only after her deep, even breaths told him she had succumbed to sleep, did he allow his own eyes to close and find rest.
He didn’t know how long they both slept; he only knew it was some of the best sleep he’d had in a long time. Since the night of the victory celebration, he thought. He pushed the thought of their lovemaking to the back of his mind as his erection stirred to life. He wanted her. Every fiber of his being craved her touch. And yet, by her own admission, she was planning to leave him. He frowned at the thought, a low growl getting caught in his throat when she started to stir.
“Where am I?” she asked, her speech still slow after her debauchery with the tequila bottle. The morning sun was just beginning her glorious debut, bathing the room in ghostly streams of light that fell in streaks across the room.
“Safe.” His voice sounded clipped and cold. “Just rest, Leannan.” He brushed the hair from her face, the backs of his fingers caressing her face. Goddess, why couldn’t she just love him the way he loved and needed her? But, as always, she saw herself as a prisoner, a captive looking for a way home.
“I should go find Dani,” she said, but she burrowed deeper in his arms. Soon, her soft breaths on his chest became his only indicator that she had returned to the arms of sleep. Once again, he felt the familiar pull between them and settled the covers more closely around her. The weird electrical attraction crackled between them, enslaving them both in a pool of unmet desire. He could feel the static filling the space between them, the electric current that was nearly always present spreading deep in his belly, drawing her to him like a fly to honey. Goddess, he wanted her. In every way imaginable, he wanted her. He shifted her weight. His erection was against her hip, throbbing and pushing. Groaning, he pushed himself away from her and tried to focus on her confession.
Was she basing her escape on a vision or did she still see herself as a prisoner? How could she? he thought. Didn’t she know how much she meant to him? He had confessed his love for her, had offered his life for hers, watched as another man bonded with her to save her life and still, the only thing she could continue to focus on was leaving. What more would it take to convince her to stay and help his people?
She rolled onto her side, trying to find him. When her arm found his thigh, she scooted closer to him and draped her arm across his middle. Och! Her touch was almost painful, he thought, his hand brushing the hair from her face. She undulated against him and he groaned, his erection springing to life once more.
How does she do that to me? he mused. A look, a gesture, a laugh, her smell; each alone was enough to bring him to his knees. Never had he felt this strongly for any other woman. Nor would he in the future. He traced his fingers along the outside of her thigh, reveling in the softness of her skin and the delicate shape of her calf. He bent and kissed her forehead. She mewled, her velvety pink lips parting. Goddess, he could spend a lifetime kissing those lips and loving every inch of her body.
He closed his eyes and briefly imagined a little boy with hair as brilliant as a summer sunset placing his small hand in his. He sighed and pushed the vision from his mind. Best for him if he left those thoughts unexplored. She was bonded with another and he knew there was a good chance that she and Nicolas would be mated soon as well. After all, an emotional bond as strong as theirs was bound to lead to a physical joining as well. A low growl tore from his lips. Mine. The single thought was like an incessant earworm. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheeks until her eyelids fluttered open and her sleepy smile lit her face.
She put her face in her hands and groaned. “My head feels like it’s going to explode into a million pieces.”
“I’ve got just the cure,” he said, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Mmmm,” she said, eyeing him with suspicion.
He got out of bed, immediately missing the warmth of her body and the feel of her curves against him. He was back in minutes with his own special remedy. He helped prop her up in bed and then handed her the glass. She took a small sip and wrinkled her nose, pushing the glass back at him.
“What is this vile stuff?” she choked, swiping the back of her hand across her mouth. He took the glass from her and sat down next to her.
“It will restore the electrolytes you lost and help you regain your strength faster.” He offered her the glass again.
“No thanks,” she said. “I’ll ride this one out the old-fashioned way.”
“It was nae a request, Leannan,” he said with a growl, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. Goddess, she could be stubborn, he thought to himself.
She shook her head.
“Ye’ll either drink it or ye’ll wear it, lass” he said, his tone hinting at something he wasn’t quite sure he could deliver. He hoped she didn’t call him on it.
She took the glass from his hand and sniffed the contents. “I don’t know, Duncan. My stomach is already doing a slow roll. I think all I really need is a hot shower and a toothbrush,” she said, her eyes pleading with him.
“Drink this and I will let ye have both,” he bargained.
“Something tells me I could get both without drinking this,” she quipped.
“And somethin’ tells me ye are nae in a position tae bargain, lass.”
“You can be so infuriating at times,” she scolded, but took the drink from him. Sniffing it once again, she peeked up at him from under long lashes. “This really smells vile.”
He only grinned and nodded to the glass.
Plugging her nose, she tipped the glass back and downed the contents. She released her nose and sputtering, handed him the glass.
Dark Gathering Page 6
