Highland Darkness

by Lilian Jade

  Just as her fist was about to meet the door, Lilith heard strange curses and crashing noises coming from the room. Pushing open the door, Lilith screamed out, “Leave the dog alone!”

  She couldn’t believe what she was staring at. Her feet were frozen to the floor where she stood. Her heart stuck in her throat, her pulse ticking fast. The overwhelming power was so potent in the room that it stung her nose. It swirled so thickly in the air that Lilith found it hard to breath. Her head told her that she should run hard and fast from the very thing she came downstairs to help. But deep down, some other voice told her to hold her ground, and that this beast before her would never in a million years harm a hair on her head.

  There were others in the room, but Lilith wasn’t looking at them. She could vaguely hear the men trying to hold back the beast. They were telling her to run, but all Lilith could do was stand and stare right into the big, black whirlpools of the beast’s gaze. Its eyes captured her and held her captive. For some reason, Lilith couldn’t find a single thread of fear anywhere in her body.

  A part of Lilith realized that she really should be scared. The creature she was looking at was not a dog—it was the most feral, most dangerous, most powerful being she had ever come across. And it was the most beautiful animal she had ever laid eyes on—black as the darkest of nights, its fur so sleek, so shiny, so long. All she could think about was running her hands through it just so she could feel how soft it would be. Its obsidian eyes twinkled with so much anger, but Lilith somehow knew that it was not intended for her.

  The beast stood as tall as a Shetland pony. He bared his white, blood-covered teeth, and that’s when she noticed that he was injured. One of the creature’s hind legs was bleeding. The gash was so deep and wide, she could just imagine how much pain the animal was in. His breathing came slow and labored, and he kept shaking his head as if he were trying to stay conscious. What had these people done to him? Seeing this animal bleeding and in pain hurt Lilith so deeply—she wanted was to kill whatever and whoever had caused him harm.

  “Release him. Now.” Lilith didn’t think anyone would listen to her, but amazingly, they released the creature and it pounded straight for her. She didn’t run, nor did she break her gaze from his. She simply stood and waited for him. When he suddenly pounced right for her, she took a few hesitant steps back toward the open doorway. The next second he was there, slamming her up against the wall with his right hand around her throat. The force of his body had pushed them into the hallway. Lilith watched with shocked horror as the beast’s form shifted into that of a human. All she could do was watch in awe and astonishment. This man was no mere human.

  He held Lilith in a tight grip but, not so tight that it hurt. Even when he slammed her into the wall, he made sure to place a protective hand behind her back to soften the blow. Lilith raked her gaze over his entire body, examining him. He was all beef and muscle, from his chest, to his chiseled arms. Every inch of him was cut to the extreme. He was so toned he looked edible. Or maybe lickable. His skin color was a soft mocha, and his jet-black hair looked velvety soft, body covered in array of tattoo designs, some tribal, some tiny markings of significance. The man was so tall Lilith had to tilt her neck back to get a good look at him. His eyes were angry, and seemed to look older than the rest of him, as if he had known many lifetimes. Lilith was vaguely aware that the men in the room were running toward them. They were coming to try to save her, but she didn’t want them to. She noticed that Alexander and Angus were amongst the men. The man-beast took his hand from her throat and slammed the door shut. Never letting go. He easily held it closed while the men pulled and shouted and tried to bang it down. It was as good as locked as long as he was holding it closed.

  Lilith’s hands itched to feel his skin beneath her fingertips. “Let me help you,” Lilith whispered. It wasn’t until he nipped at her fingertip and drew a drop of blood that Lilith realized she had attempted to touch his face. “I will never hurt you. Do you understand me?” Lilith said as she tried again to reach out to him. This time he growled deep down in his throat. The vibration of it startled her, causing her to twitch, her entire lower body pressing against his. At the same time, Lilith wrapped her right hand around the side of his neck, her thumb stroking his cheek and jawline. He tried shaking her hand away, but she kept her grip firm.

  “Please. Just … feel me.” Lilith held on for her life as she felt a strange but familiar power coursing through her. Then it was coursing around her, then outward down her arm and into him. The power had a sense of vitality, of calm and peace and ease, with a dab of healing added amongst the concoction of power pulsating through the hall. And still there was another emotion mixed in there; it felt familiar to Lilith, but never had she ever expressed that feeling with anyone else except her papa.

  Lilith was lost in the feel of power coursing through her as well as around her. When her legs left the ground, she didn’t put up a fight. Instead she wrapped them around his waist tightly, as if her entire being depended on it. She felt the cold, jeweled wall at her back and his hard, hot, smooth, solid frame pressing into her front. It felt so good. It felt right. She didn’t want the feeling to go away.

  “Who are you?” It was a barely audible whisper that tickled Lilith’s mind.

  “My name is Lilith Donahue McGregor,” she whispered back. She didn’t want to move. Everything felt so right being there in the man’s arms.

  “Why are you here?”

  Lilith felt no need to lie. Somehow, she trusted him. “Being hunted.” She moaned into the crook of his neck. The hallway heated up. Lilith heard the growl emitting from inside his chest again, and anger swirled around them like a hurricane. She opened her eyes to come face to face with the man who was once beast. He was beautiful, his eyes shining like the blackest of obsidian jewels.

  He held Lilith high up around his waist with his free hand, cupping the underside of her bottom, fingers just short of gliding over her moist folds. Lilith’s muscles tightened like a coiled spring around him. She didn’t even know this man and all she could think of was what it would be like to have him, to feel him slipping deep inside her, knowing that her body would welcome him home with such ferocity, with so much love. It rocked her from her head to her toes. She couldn’t fathom why she felt this way about this man, but she knew it to be true without a doubt.

  Lilith shut out the world around her, only concentrating on this man-beast. She locked her gaze with his. So many emotions were swirling around in her head as her body bucked against him. He ground himself against her hard in response. Lilith moaned out, her eyes filling with tears. “I need you,” she said. “Oh my God. You don’t know how much I need you right now. Your pain—it’s so raw I can taste it on the tip of my tongue. I’m so, so sorry for your pain.” Lilith didn’t know what to do. Her body was racked with unshed sobs. At the same time, the woman in her was calling out to be sated. Lilith felt her body being lifted up, then lowered down. Sensually but slowly her slick core slid over his. She shuddered in pleasure. “I’m so sorry …” She knew she should be ashamed of herself; Lilith could feel Angus’s gaze burning a hole into the side of her head. It was as if she had no control of her body. What was happening to her?

  He stopped Lilith from trying to rub her sex over his by gripping her waist and pulling her away from him. “You made me better. Don’t let what others did to me be your burden. I owe you my life. I, Amadeus, son of God our Lord Father, bind my soul to yours as your protector now and forever.”

  Lilith could hear every word he said, and yet his lips didn’t move. But she didn’t need to hear his voice out loud to know that he meant every single word. The silent words reverberated inside her mind like a lover’s kiss. But that didn’t mean Lilith liked the fact that he refused her offer of some simple passion. “Do not think I don’t find you attractive? I just …”

  What was he saying? That oh, sure, she was doable, but he didn’t want her? Well hell, of course he didn’t want her. She was an a
bomination. “Aghh! It’s not you, it’s me. Is that it? Fine.” Lilith lowered her legs from his waist so that they were firmly planted on the floor. She stepped away from him, and suddenly, the door burst open. Alexander and several of his men were there—men she believed weren’t mere men at all, and carried with them the slightest hint of wet dog. Angus was there as well, looking the most surprised out of all of them. The men were tensed and ready for action, but there was no more action to see.

  Feeling suddenly exposed and vulnerable, Lilith said, “You know what? I’m going to bed.” Turning on her heels, she headed back to her appointed bedroom. She took a quick glance back, noticing that Amadeus’s injuries were all healed.

  Damn it. She couldn’t figure out whether her talents were a gift or a curse. Slamming the bedroom door shut, Lilith locked it then fell flat on her face. “Wow,” she groaned into her pillow. What was it with these men? It felt so great in their arms—the way they held her, the way they looked into her as if seeking out a bit of her soul. Just that thought alone was enough to scare her, but not enough to keep her at bay.

  Like Angus, for example. She felt as if a part of her belonged to him and only him. Everything about him appealed to her: his smile, the twinkle in his eyes, his big, bulky, chiseled body. He called to her in so many ways. And yet with Amadeus, everything primitive, primal, and instinctive inside of her called out to him with such anguish, it physically hurt. The lust Lilith felt for him was so powerful that it frightened her. He was full of heat, desire, anger, hurt, and something else she couldn’t quite pinpoint.

  A banging sounded at Lilith’s door, pulling her out of her thoughts. Not sure if she should open the door or not, Lilith opted with staying where she was and doing nothing.

  “Lass, open the door.”

  Speak of one of the devils. Should she answer? It was safer not to. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about being slammed with so much testosterone. And wasn’t she mad at him, treating her so damn unfairly? “I’m fine, Angus. Just let me sleep.” Lilith noted her voice was barely audible, her answer a low growl. But she didn’t really care. She needed her rest. God only knew how badly she needed to gain back her strength. It had been that way before Papa’s death, only now it had gotten worse. Not for a second did Lilith even consider to forget that Ezekiel would be here for her soon enough. Lilith felt it deep in her bones that this particular fae would scour the earth till the day he found her. Lilith just knew he had a connection to her—the same way Angus and Amadeus did.

  “Did he hurt you, lass?”

  Lilith wanted to laugh at him. Hurt her? If Angus knew just how Amadeus had affected her, he’d be flying into a rage.

  “No Angus, he didn’t.” There was a pause then.

  “But we all saw him grab you …”

  Lilith’s head was too heavy with thinking. “I’m fine. We will talk in the morning.” Lilith wanted to go to him, but then again if she did, he would just question her all night long. Or he would awaken that part of herself that she had not yet fully recognized. If Lilith was going to be honest with herself, she must admit that she was still tapped into Amadeus. Her soul was still mulling over him, and her heart pounded at the thought of him.

  “Lass, please, I won’t be satisfied until I have seen for myself that you are fine.” Lilith could hear that there was quite a party outside her door. Geez, did he bring the entire castle up with him?

  With a heavy sigh Lilith walked the short distance to the door and yanked it open. “As you can see for yourself, I am just dandy. Now could you all leave me alone?” Lilith was about to slam the door shut, but she suddenly caught sight of Amadeus standing in the back of the corridor. He was leaning up against the wall, arms folded across his broad chest. He wore no shirt, but now donned a pair of faded denims with his layered, shaggy mane tied in a ponytail over his shoulder. Lilith felt the air leave her lungs as she studied Amadeus. She could smell him from where she stood. His scent was delicious, like the very earth itself: trees, sunshine, fresh air, and male musk. It was so damn hard not to throw herself at him.

  “Lass, you are covered in blood,” Angus said.

  Without looking away from Amadeus’s hooded gaze she answered, “Never you mind. It’s not mine anyhow.” Lilith suddenly felt a sweet caress, something light and airy nudging her mind’s eye. It was so soft that Lilith barely noticed it.

  “Go back in the room, Lilith. I do not like the way all these men stare at you.”

  Lilith took a split second to assess her surroundings. To the right of Angus stood Alexander, with a slightly amused twinkle in his eyes. Flanking Alex were the three men she had seen downstairs in the room helping to hold Amadeus back. Lilith was about to reply to the silent words when she felt Angus yank at her top. “Where did the blood come from?”

  She slapped at his hand. “Oh seriously, Angus. Do you really have to start with all this macho crap? Because I really don’t need it right now.” Lilith felt all eyes on her. She knew it had everything to do with the blood on her top.

  “Lilith, please go back into the room now.”

  This came as a command, spoken in her mind louder, almost as a shout. Lilith felt the need to obey, and yet she felt compelled to stay her ground. Lilith broke eye contact with Amadeus and turned to Alexander. “I do believe that the people of your home are quite in need of nourishment. Please feel free to take leave so that you may eat.”

  Alex smiled with his eyes rather than his mouth before nodding silently at her. What was so damn funny? He bowed low before turning to bid his men to follow him.

  “Why did you not listen to me?”

  Lilith smiled to herself. She didn’t know how it was possible that he could talk to her in her mind, but she was just as excited to try it. “Why don’t you speak with your mouth like me?” He grinned then. He had a killer grin that would make any woman swoon over him.

  “It has been a while. I am not so sure I remember how.” And with that he turned on his heels and left.

  Lilith stared after him. As if reading Lilith’s emotions spike at his abrupt dismissal of her, Amadeus caressed her mind so seductively and intimately it made Lilith gasp. “I could teach you …” she responded in her mind.

  “Lass, about before, I’m—”

  “Good night, Angus. There is much to do in the morning.” Lilith shut the door lightly behind her, leaving Angus in the hall all by himself. Lilith couldn’t be bothered explaining her actions to anyone. What she needed to do was find out what in the hell was happening to her, and how to better control herself. And why was she so hot for three men—all of which were most likely as old as the hills, and most definitely not human.

  “Wow,” Lilith whispered.

  The way Lilith looked at everything, she had more cons going on in her life than pros. Number one: Papa was dead. Two: he lied about who she was, and where she came from. Three: her own kind was after her, one side having almost nearly succeeding in killing Lilith. Four: she’d been held captive and semi-beaten (or the better word for it, manhandled) by big, brutish men who could kill her if they tried. Well, maybe not, she thought. Not when her inner-self was aware of what was going on.

  Pulling off her blood-soaked shirt, Lilith walked to the bathroom and had a quick shower before jumping into bed. Just as she was drifting off into oblivion, she felt that sweet, smooth caress, like feather-light fingertips stroking her entire body.

  “Sweet dreams, Lilith.”

  Lilith moaned long and deep in reply, as she couldn’t find the strength to speak. Deep, husky laughter filled her mind as she drifted into oblivion.

  Morning was slow in coming. The sun shone in from the glass windows, reflecting thousands of colors all around the room. Birds chirped outside in the trees as the music of the lake ebbed and flowed, the occasional frog croaking out his welcome to the morning light. Lilith snuggled deeper into her covers, stretching her muscles like a cat.

  “Where to start?” she wondered aloud. Another shower was the first thing on
her to-do list, even though she had just had one before going to bed, it was the best way for her to wake up. Then she’d grab breakfast, where she’d no doubt be slammed with a maelstrom times three.

  Rolling out of bed, Lilith padded her way towards the shower. An hour later, showered, fed, and ready to rock and roll. Today was going to be a good day. Well, a better day, at least. Because today was the day she would come to terms with herself. She was tired of avoiding it. If Lilith was a being not quite human, then she might as well embrace it one hundred percent. She would allow the men to ask any questions they needed to ask, and she would answer any she felt needed answering. Lilith would give them an hour of her time before she needed to make plans of how best to escape Angus. She needed to keep everyone safe, of this she was certain. And she needed to read The Book of Delvaka, so that she could learn what her papa had discovered about her somewhat disastrous talents.

  Sighing, Lilith padded silently down the corridor. The morning looked vibrant and clear. As she made her way toward the back door, Lilith could already catch the sweet smell of honeysuckles, along with the dew that lingered on the tips of the grass, and the pungent odor of pinecones fallen from their trees. All the senses mixed together, and instead of searching for Angus, Lilith found herself walking out the glass door.

  Closing the door softly behind her, Lilith walked out onto the back patio. Even the yard was breathtaking. There was a smooth, cobbled pathway that led to a pond. In the middle of the water was a statue of a large Greek goddess on her knees begging. Her head was bowed, her body slightly defeated as she stared down at the water. Although this goddess looked sad and defeated, she held a noble beauty and composure. It hurt to even comprehend what would make such a goddess feel this way.

  Lilith admired the shimmering, shinning water as the morning rays glinted off the pond. Skirting the castle walls, she followed the thousands of smells which seemed to grow more pronounced now that she was outside. Lifting her head to the sky, Lilith closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. That’s when she caught that familiar scent—that scent of a woodsy musk, of earth, sunshine, and the tanginess of sweat. And blood.