Oath of a Scottish Warrior

by Sky Purington

  “Why do you do that?” Rònan asked.

  “What?”

  “Flick your lighter on and off?”

  Startled, Erin glanced at the lighter she must have pulled out of her pocket and started flicking. For the life of her, she didn’t remember doing it. Shit. She tucked it away. “None of your business.”

  Rònan eyed her as though he already knew the answer and wished she would enlighten him further. “Why is it so bloody hard for you to share just one thing about yourself?”

  If he only knew.

  Erin stood, took another swig of ale then set aside the mug. Though catching a buzz sounded great, it was a bad idea. She was in a land and time she didn’t understand. More so, she was surrounded by people she didn’t trust. Including Rònan. “I’m going to bed. I expect you to be anywhere I’m not.”

  Always one to sleep fully clothed in case she needed to bolt, she crawled into bed. Before she pulled the blankets over her, she set aside her weapons. All save one. That blade she held up for him to see. “Keep your distance, Rònan, because I’m not afraid to use this.”

  “Aye, lass.” He nodded. “You have my word that I willnae move from this spot.”

  Not completely without compassion, she nodded toward the fire. “Lie there. It looks comfortable enough.”

  “I’m fine right here.” His eyes met hers. “Go to sleep, Erin. You’re safe.”

  She wiggled her blade. “Damn straight I am.”

  While she had always slept in clothing, she hated blankets. She hated being hot. Or she got hot too easily. It was hard to know. But tonight she had no choice. Anything extra covering her felt necessary. Protective.

  Hand on the hilt of her blade, she kept an eye on Rònan. He never moved, never drank, only stared at the fire. Bit by bit, and after a long while, she started to relax. She allowed the howling wind outside to soothe her and the unwavering, unmoving, presence of Rònan to finally enable her to drift off.

  “Why cannae I hear you?” came a soft voice.

  Erin blinked and sat up. “Who said that?”

  Rònan gave no response but continued to look at the fire.

  “I know yer there,” came the voice again. A child’s voice. A boy by the sounds of it. “But I cannae hear ye!”

  She jumped out of bed and tried to speak to Rònan, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her vocal chords were on the fritz again. So she waved her hand in front of his face. Nothing. It was as if he didn’t see her.

  “Rònan?” she said, grateful her voice seemed to be working again.

  Why was he ignoring her?

  “What’s the matter with you?” she growled and tried to shake him. Her hands passed right through his body.

  What the hell? “That’s impossible!”

  “Dinnae yell at me,” the child whimpered. “I am lost and ‘tis dark.”

  So the boy could hear her now?

  “I didn’t mean to yell.” She pulled away from Rònan. “I’m sorry.”

  “Where are ye?” the boy said. “I cannae hear ye anymore.”

  Huh? She spun and kept speaking yet the child couldn’t hear her. This was insane. The only thing that had been different before was that she’d been trying to touch Rònan. Desperate to reconnect with the voice, she figured it couldn’t hurt to give it another shot. So though it made no sense, she tried to touch Rònan again and said, “Where are you?”

  “I dinnae know,” the child whimpered.

  He could hear her! Erin frowned and crouched beside Rònan. Drawing on military training, she kept a calm head and a level, reassuring voice though she was completely baffled. “My name is Erin. I’m your friend. Can you tell me what your surroundings look like?”

  “Dark. Gray,” he whispered. “Like the forest died.”

  Chills ran up her spine.

  “Okay, that’s a good explanation,” she said. “Can you tell me your name?”

  “Aye, ‘tis Robert the Bruce.”

  Oh no. How was that possible? Wasn’t he supposed to be with Grant Hamilton?

  “We never got a chance to say hello earlier so nice to meet you, Robert,” she said, still hovering beside Rònan. “I’m friends with Cassie and Nicole. You know them, right?”

  “Aye, they are my friends,” he acknowledged. “Someone else is here too.”

  Erin didn’t like the sound of that.

  Robert started to whimper. “I think they are going to hurt her.”

  She really didn’t like the sound of that.

  “Who’s going to hurt who?” she responded.

  “The darkness is going to hurt her,” Robert whispered. “The darkness is going to hurt Jaqueline.”

  Chapter Six

  RÒNAN JOLTED AWAKE at the same moment as Erin and recalled every detail of his dream. How paralyzed he had been. How he was unable to look at her when she crouched beside him and equally unable to feel her touch. More than that, he had heard every word said betwixt her and the wee Bruce.

  “Wha…” Erin started as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked around in confusion. Her eyes locked on him and she whispered, “What the hell just happened? I was beside you and…” She blinked several times. “We’ve got problems.”

  “Aye, lass.” He stood and though tempted to go to her, he instead refreshed his ale and relayed the dream he’d had.

  Her eyes grew wider as he spoke.

  “How is that even possible?” she whispered.

  “While you likely dinnae want to hear it or even believe it, I suspect our shared dragon blood is the reason for our connection not only in the dream but back at the mountain.” He handed her his ale. “Drink. ‘Twill calm your nerves.”

  Erin took a hearty swig, eyes never leaving his as she stood. Having clearly tossed and turned, her raven curls were a wild mess around her shoulders. And whether it was because she had just awoken or because she was upset, the starburst of pale violet at the center of her eyes seemed to have expanded. Gods help him, she was beyond alluring. Striking. Utterly beautiful.

  Determined to keep the roar of his arousal under control, he stepped away. He could reignite the fire on the hearth with magic but decided against it. He needed something to occupy him and his thoughts. Anything to keep from tossing her onto the bed and picking up where they left off earlier.

  When he glanced at Erin again, she was pulling on her boots. “What are you doing?”

  “Going to find the Viking King. I’d think you’d be doing the same.” She frowned at him. “Not only Robert the Bruce but Jackie’s in trouble. We need to get out of here and find them.”

  “Nay,” he said. “We go nowhere until we hear from Grant.”

  “Are you out of your mind?” Erin tied her boots and stood. “Not only is a helpless kid out there somewhere but my friend is too. And by the sounds of it, she seriously needs our help.”

  “And where precisely do you think they are, lass?” Rònan crossed his arms over his chest. “Because I dinnae know in the slightest, nor does the Viking King or I guarantee he would already be in here sharing his newfound knowledge. What I do know is that they are nowhere near us. They arenae in this century.”

  “Well then we need to figure out a way to get to wherever they are,” she said. “Because I refuse to sit around waiting when someone needs my help.”

  When she tried to stride by him, he grabbed her arm, using his height to full advantage as he narrowed his eyes. “You arenae going anywhere.”

  More inside her mind than he should be, he anticipated her next move. Before she could threaten him with her dagger, he flicked it from her hand with magic. Though more than tempted to physically battle her, he knew how it would end. In lust. With her legs spread and him deep inside her. And as bloody tempting as that sounded, it was the last place either of them needed to be right now.

  He wondered at his line of thinking. It wasn’t like him. Typically, he would have seized the opportunity to have her despite his draw to Jackie. He truly wanted her that bad.
Yet now that he knew what she was, things had changed. Now that he knew she was half dragon. A creature like him. Though he was known for enjoying and respecting lasses, he could admit that he inherently respected a female dragon more. It was just in his blood to do so. And he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.

  “Let me go, Rònan,” Erin warned.

  He should have known better than to think disarming her would stop her. So when her knee came up, he evaded. Whatever was happening between them was progressing swiftly because though she was an excellent fighter, he easily anticipated every move ahead of time.

  She punched. He avoided. She swiped her leg. He stepped aside. On and on it went as he did his best to make as little contact with her as possible. Nonetheless, his blood stirred and he was being drawn back to that place she could take him. That otherworldly place made only of desire and inescapable lust. So he did something she would hate him for later.

  He murmured a chant and put her to sleep.

  Rònan scooped her up before she hit the floor and laid her down on the bed. After he covered her, he sat by her side and sighed. He had never been so conflicted. So confused. Never so unsure of what direction he was supposed to go in.

  “Cousin, can I join you?”

  Rònan was surprised by the sound of Niall outside the door. He hadn’t sensed him coming.

  “Aye,” he called.

  “Sorry to check on you so late.” Niall brushed the snow from his hair as he entered. “But your thoughts were troublesome.”

  “No doubt.” Rònan poured Niall some ale and eyed him. “I’m surprised Nicole’s not with you.”

  “Oh, she tried. She’s been at me all night to check on you two so I had to put an end to it.”

  “And how did you manage that?”

  Niall grinned and winked. “In the best way possible.”

  “Och, I dinnae need to hear about it.” Rònan plunked down in a chair beside Niall and took a long swig of ale. “’Tis no easy thing keeping my lust at bay right now.”

  “I know the King said you should stay here but I can watch over Erin if you need to slake your lust elsewhere,” Niall said. “Just be sure to go out the back way. Not only Bjorn but Tait guard the front.”

  “Nay, ‘twould be dishonorable.” Rònan frowned at his friend. “To both the King and Erin.”

  “Mayhap ‘twould be.” Niall looked at him oddly. “But I’m sure Naðr wouldnae overly judge you if you did. Just stay close.”

  “And what of Erin?”

  “I thought you…” Niall’s brows drew together in confusion. “Though you two got lusty in the main hall I thought ‘twas a dragon thing.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you not determined to save Jackie? Is she not the lass you desire?”

  Rònan rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. Niall made a valid point. “I am set to save Jackie and will.”

  Niall remained silent for several long moments before he murmured, “And what of the desire for Jackie you so recently felt?”

  “I’ve yet to meet the lass so what do I base my desire on?” he bit back and cursed the words as he said them. “I dinnae know her in the least.”

  “You sound conflicted. Will you save her then? Because you dinnae need to know a lass to fulfill your oath to her.” Niall frowned. “Was she not there for you in your darkest hour?”

  “I intend to fulfill my oath,” he growled. “I just dinnae know…”

  When he trailed off and scowled at the fire, Niall filled in the blanks. “You just dinnae know if she’s the lass meant for you and you're feeling guilty because of it.”

  “Aye,” Rònan whispered, thankful his friend was here and understood him so well. “I dinnae ken half of what I’m feeling right now and I dinnae like it a wee bit.”

  “As you likely know, some of your thoughts have brushed my mind since we got here.” Niall’s eyes flickered to the bed then back to him. “You cannae fault yourself for desiring Erin, Cousin. Any more than I could stop my feelings for Nicole when she first traveled back in time. I give you credit that you havenae had her yet. ‘Tis unlike you not to slake your lust with a lass when you want her so badly.” He cocked the corner of his lips. “So I tend to think you're rallying your strength well by recognizing that your feelings for her need to be questioned as you dinnae ken the way of it with a female dragon.”

  “A female dragon,” Rònan murmured and perked a brow at Niall. “’Tis hard to believe, aye?”

  “Aye, considering we all thought your Ma was the last of them.” Niall swigged his ale and gave Rònan a pointed look. “’Tis no small thing what we learned. I respect you trying to keep your distance from her till you better ken the connection, but…”

  When he trailed off, Rònan said, “But what?”

  “Well.” Niall continued to eye him. “I feel for you is all. ‘Twas hard enough to find my way to Nicole and we didnae have half the battle you might fight if mayhap Erin is the lass meant for you.” His cousin grew more serious. “You deserve the love I found with Nicole. So my advice.” Niall paused for a moment. “Keep your lust at bay and try to get to know her better. Try to ken the lass she was before all of this.”

  “Even if I’m meant for Jackie?”

  “Aye.” Niall nodded. “Erin needs a friend right now. You can see her through all this. Support her. It willnae be easy to get her to accept she’s got dragon blood. But you can help by understanding who she was before all this.”

  Rònan knew he was right. He also knew deep down it was the reason he hadn’t slaked his lust with her all ready. There was too much gray area. Too much that he didn’t understand.

  “You've grown wiser as of late, my friend,” Rònan murmured.

  “Aye, 'tis amazing how much clearer I see things now that I'm with Nicole.”

  “Och, 'twas a battle to be sure when you two came together.” Rònan managed a small grin. “’Twas well worth the fight, though. You're both better people for it.”

  “Aye,” Niall agreed.

  A comfortable silence born of a long friendship settled between them as Rònan pondered Niall's advice. Because while Nicole was certainly a handful when they met, Erin was clearly going to be more of a challenge.

  “’Twill all work out as it should,” Niall said softly. “The rings willnae have it otherwise.”

  “Och, the bloody rings,” Rònan muttered. “Whilst I’m set to find Jackie and lust after Erin, I dinnae think I’m fond of a ring locking me onto one lass for life.”

  “Nor was I,” Niall said. “But I couldnae love Nicole more and remain grateful she was brought to me.”

  “’Tis Nicole, though,” Rònan reminded. “If not for you, Cousin, I would have kept her as my own.”

  “You like to think as much,” Niall said. “But did you not take a lass to your bed the verra first night Nicole arrived at your castle?”

  “Well, there was that,” Rònan conceded. “But drunk is drunk. We all slip up, aye?”

  “Nay.” Niall shook his head. “When you meet the lass meant for you, desiring another becomes impossible no matter how drunk.” His cousin shrugged and grinned. “The cock wants what the cock wants.”

  A grin tugged at Rònan’s lips. “And here I thought ‘twould be all about my heart.”

  “You'd be amazed at how well your heart controls your cock in the end.” Niall eyed him. “Might I give you just a wee bit more advice, friend?”

  Rònan nodded. “You can.”

  “All right.” Niall stood and wrapped a fur cloak over his shoulders. “Like me, on rare occasion you tend to turn into yourself because you dinnae like what others are telling you.” His eyes held Rònan’s. “Work toward not doing that. Work toward paying attention to those who love you and ken that they might see something you cannae because you're too close to the situation, aye?”

  Rònan imagined he might be referring to recent developments between Niall and his Da. They had come a long way in a short time. “Aye, Cousin. ‘Tis good advice.”

 
; “’Tis.” Niall eyed him for a long moment before he pulled him into an embrace and clapped him on the back.

  Before Niall left Rònan said, “Bjorn and I are more than enough to protect Erin. Tait doesnae need to be out there.”

  “I said as much before I entered but he’s determined to stay.” Niall paused at the door. “They can be trusted to stay where they are.”

  Though they both knew Rònan’s dragon was rearing up against Tait, Niall was right. After he left, Rònan sat back down and eyed the fire.

  But sure enough, his gaze drifted to Erin.

  Her thick hair haloed her face and she looked like an angel. An angel! Erin? Closed-off, defiant Erin. But she did. What he wouldn’t do to wrap his hands into her curls and pull those soft, full lips against his just once.

  Yet he knew once would not be enough.

  If it was like earlier, she would melt against him then work her magic and he would be gone. Lost somewhere he wasn’t sure he would be able to break free from again. So though he wanted to crawl into bed and pull her close, protect her, he knew better.

  Back against the bed, he sat on the floor and kept a dagger in hand. He would sit here through the night and try to figure out the dream they'd shared. What it all meant. Though tempted, he hadn't told Niall about it. Not only because he sensed his friend was eager to get back to Nicole, but because Rònan felt it prudent to share with the Viking King first.

  So he set aside his ale and sat through what felt like the longest eve of his life. Erin slept soundly, her breathing soft. Not once did he look over his shoulder and risk being drawn to her. Instead, he kept a close eye on both doorways. Even so, her sweet, feminine scent drifted over him and managed to keep him aroused all damn night. And nothing put him in a fouler mood than unfulfilled lust. Or so it seemed. Truth told this was the first time his lust had ever been denied.

  Eventually, dim daylight arrived along with an even heavier snowfall. Servants brought in food and drink then left quietly. As he knew she would, Nicole arrived.