Master of Ecstasy

by Nina Bangs

  The sound of sobbing drew Darach's attention to Sparkle. Cats could not cry, but Sparkle would never let details stop her from what she wished to do.

  Blythe clutched Sparkle tighter. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now. You don't have to be upset."

  "Upset? I'm not upset. I'm happy. I haven't been this happy since I turned a meeting of Citizens Against Sexual Excess into an orgy."

  Sparkle gazed up at Darach and Blythe with teary eyes. "Mede defied the Big Boss for me." When they stared at her blankly, she tried to make it clearer. "Mede wasn't supposed to harm a human. Ever. Tonight he did, for me."

  She gazed toward the castle with what Darach could only describe as a mixture of love and lust. With Sparkle, everything included sex in the mixture.

  "The old Mede is back. And since it looks like you two are in it together for the long haul, I have to talk to my big bad troublemaker about paying up on a bet." She offered them a sly watery cat smile. "I lust after a golden god. Preferably naked."

  Darach looked at Blythe, then shrugged. " 'Tis time we went home." His gaze softened as he let the horror of this night go, and embraced the true wonder of what Blythe had given him. "I must release Thrain from my bed. Then we can explore this loving ye spoke of." Even as he talked, he could feel himself tightening, his need returning. "Methinks the vile potion the women gave me is still strong. I grow hard again. What do ye think Ecstasy would prescribe to help me?"

  Blythe leaned into him and laughed. "I don't know what Ecstasy would prescribe, but Dr. Blythe prescribes her never-fail sensual solution."

  * * *

  Epilogue

  « ^

  Blythe pressed close to Darach as they stood in the great hall watching the tour group prepare for their return trip through time. Textron was ignoring Sandy, so Blythe guessed the underwear deal was off. And Clara refused to meet Blythe's gaze. Blythe felt righteous satisfaction. Clara should feel guilty.

  "Look at number ten on this list, Blythe. Mayhap we can try it tonight. There is honey in the kitchen." Darach was engrossed in Sparkle's list of The Top Fifty Things to Do with a Naked Man.

  "Let me look at that list."

  He handed it to her and she scanned the suggestions. "Number fifteen sounds better."

  He glanced at number fifteen and his eyes widened. "Aye."

  Blythe noticed Ganymede heading their way. Sparkle rested in the crook of his arm, and the bittyfluffs faithfully crowded around him. For some strange reason, the tiny fur balls had transferred their adoration to Ganymede. Blythe smiled. She had a feeling Ganymede was responsible for the transfer.

  Ganymede stopped in front of them, shifted from foot to foot, then coughed nervously.

  "Just say it, Mede." Sparkle cast Blythe an all-suffering look. "Men. What would they do without women to help them express their emotions?" She glanced toward the rest of the tour group. "And I'm back to the silent cat routine. I have to play the quiet kitty part until we get rid of Mede's customers."

  Sparkle licked her mouth with a small pink tongue. "Then we're off to an exotic island for some rest and relaxation. Now that Mede's stopped worrying about whether the Big Boss is going to zap him every time he falls off the goodness-and-light wagon, he's a lot more open to my sensual suggestions." Her gaze slid to Ganymede. "I have a date with a naked golden god. For a whole month."

  Blythe had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Since Sparkle's close call, Ganymede had carried her everywhere so that she wouldn't have to walk on her injured leg. She was a tiny tyrant, but Ganymede never complained about her bossiness. He claimed they were just good friends. Right.

  Ganymede drew in a deep breath of courage. "Look, blood-su… I mean Darach. If it wasn't for you, Sparkle would be Scottish roadkill by now."

  Sparkle cast him a disgusted look. "Does he have a way with words or what?"

  Ganymede frowned. "Of course, if it wasn't for you, she wouldn't have been there in the first place. But I'll let that slide." He shoved out his hand. "Thanks for saving her. If I'm ever in the area with a tour group, you and Blythe can do some time-hopping free." His pained expression suggested that the word "free" was tough to say.

  Darach clasped his hand and nodded. "I thank ye for saving all of us, Ganymede. In appreciation, I offer ye the use of the MacKenzie castle for one of your tours each year." He grinned. "Free."

  Ganymede brightened immediately. "Really? That's great." He cuffed Darach across the shoulder. Darach winced. "We're almost ready to go. Hey, Blythe, do you mind if I take the bittyfluffs home with me? They've sort of grown attached." He looked hopeful.

  Blythe knew exactly who had grown attached. "Sure, take all of them. I want them to be happy."

  As Ganymede turned to walk away, Sparkle climbed up to peer over the top of his shoulder. "Blythe, if there're any girl things you find you can't live without, make a list and get it to Ganymede next year. I'll see that he brings them to you." Her eyes gleamed with wicked glee. "Don't forget to have lots and lots of hot delicious sex. Oh, and if you see my ghosts, tell them they're fired."

  Darach waited until Ganymede was out of hearing range. "Are ye sure ye wish to remain in this time with me, Blythe?" His gaze held hers. "Once we are married, I will stay with ye always. Always can be overlong if ye're not sure." He raked his ringers through his long hair. His hands shook. "If ye wish to live in your time, ye could return now with Ganymede, and I could join ye next year when Ganymede brings another tour group here. I need only return once every twenty years to fulfill my duty."

  Blythe wanted to wrap her arms around this big gorgeous man who had no idea how much she loved him. He would have to pry her fingers from his body to get rid of her.

  "Odin's wrath." Darach's expression was a mixture of frustration and disgust. "What I am trying to say is that I love ye more than I love any time or place. I care only that I am with ye." He speared her with his intent gaze. "Forever."

  Blythe smiled up at him. "Good thing, vampire, because you'll never be rid of me." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him softly on the lips.

  He seemed to steel himself for what he needed to say next. "I can give ye no bairns."

  "Get something straight, Darach." She cupped his face between her hands. "I'm not marrying you for children. In 2339, Earth is so overpopulated that many women never have babies. I had already decided years ago that if I ever wanted a child, I'd adopt one. And once and for all, understand that I love you, not a particular time or place."

  Blythe watched the tension drain from him. Leaning down, he returned her kiss, then grinned and held up Sparkle's list. "I canna wait to start on number one."

  Darach wrapped his arm around her waist, and they waved goodbye as the time travelers disappeared. Blythe stared into the empty great hall. This, then, was love. She was walking away from all her possessions and all the people she'd ever known. Ganymede had agreed to deliver a few messages from her to friends and relatives. Yes, she'd miss the conveniences of her time, but things couldn't compare to the emotion she felt every time she looked at Darach. She was starting an exciting new life with the man she loved at her side. Nothing else mattered.

  "I'm feeling kind of hungry." Blythe smiled up at Darach. "Come to the kitchen and help me find something to eat. And we can get that honey while we're at it."

  She was still thinking about the honey when Thrain stepped out of the shadows.

  "I leave tonight, Darach." He clasped Darach's shoulders, then released him. "Thank ye for my life."

  "Ye're welcome to stay." Darach's gaze was troubled. "We have much to talk about."

  Thrain grinned, and Blythe realized how much Sparkle's "golden god" description fit him. But Blythe hadn't exactly seen him at his best before this.

  "I still need much rest, and I would get none with sounds of lust keeping me awake." He turned his smile on Blythe, and she blinked at the pure power of that smile. She'd just bet he mowed women down by the hundreds wherever he went.

  Thrain returned his attent
ion to Darach. "Pride and hurt feelings kept me away from ye all these years. But when death neared, I realized how much our friendship meant to me. I know where your London home is and will visit ye there."

  Darach nodded. "Ye were the only friend I ever truly regretted losing. The words I said at our last meeting were cruel and untrue. Aesa should never have come between us."

  Blythe started toward the kitchen to give the two men a few minutes alone. Once there, she rooted around for something to eat while she waited for Darach to join her.

  By the time he entered the kitchen, Blythe had discovered something important. "Everything here is raw, and I don't know how to cook."

  Darach offered her an indulgent smile. "It doesna matter if ye canna prepare a meal well, because ye'll soon have a cook to do that."

  "Uh, you don't understand. I've never cooked a thing in my life. I don't even know what some of these things are." She swept her arm over the strange array of things she'd found in the kitchen.

  Darach looked startled.

  "Okay, here's the scoop on food in my time. I pay a yearly fee to a local food preparation service. Each day I choose what I want to eat from an online menu, and the service delivers the fully cooked meals at the time I specify. I won't go into the how of it, but the meals simply appear in a delivery cubicle built into my dining area wall." Blythe held up her hands. "Nobody cooks anymore. Why would they?"

  "Why indeed?" He looked resigned.

  She watched silently while he left to get water, then returned.

  "I dinna eat, but I've seen others cook. After I wash the vegetables and cut them into pieces, ye may put them into a pot." He paused to offer her a thoughtful glance. "Ye do know what a pot looks like?"

  "Smart-ass." She grinned and went in search of a suitable pot while he washed the vegetables. By the time she returned, he was starting to cut them up.

  He glanced at her pot and smiled. "Unless ye're a witch in need of a cauldron, ye might find something smaller."

  With a humph of disgust, she went to look for another pot. "So when do you think you'll be able to see yourself in a mirror?"

  He was silent for a moment. "I have already gained my newest power."

  Surprised, Blythe turned to stare at him. "Well, why didn't you say something?"

  Darach shrugged. "I wished to save it until we were alone."

  Blythe was touched. "As soon as I eat, let's go up to our room. I'll dig out my makeup mirror, then you can take a good look at that 'wondrous' face."

  She frowned. He didn't act overly excited at the prospect. Blythe chose a smaller pot and walked back to the table where Darach was still cutting vegetables. She put the ones he'd already cut into the pot. "What's that big thing you're cutting up now?"

  He chuckled, but didn't look at her. " 'Tis called an onion, Blythe."

  "Oh. Well, how was I to know? I've never seen a whole one before. It's huge." Genetically engineered veggies in her time were pretty small, and scientists had created designer colors for them. No wonder she hadn't recognized this one. But she still felt defensive about her ignorance. When they settled down in their home, she'd have to spend some time with the cook.

  "Ye'd know it verra well if ye had to cut up one this potent." He sounded strange, sort of clogged up.

  "Never doubt my love, Blythe, because only one who loved ye beyond reason would submit to so unmanly a thing." He sounded really cranky.

  "Unmanly?" What was he talking about? "Okay, so I know that cutting up an onion wouldn't be at the top of your superhero resume, but I don't think it threatens your masculinity."

  He made an impatient sound. "I dinna speak of cutting up the onion."

  "Then what?"

  He looked at her.

  And Blythe knew that she had truly found her forever love as she watched the tears slide down his face.

  * * *

  NINA BANGS

  I've always enjoyed stories with strong relationships and happy endings. So it's not surprising that romance novels have been one of my mainstays through the years.

  Before settling down to a teaching career, I dabbled in a variety of jobs ranging from working with Arabian horses to singing in Irish pubs.

  Along the way, I developed a sense of humor, a love of stories with paranormal twists, and an admiration for cats.

  I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at P.O. Box 101, League City, TX 77574-0101