by Grant, Donna
The tip of him entered her and he held still, his eyes closed as if he had just experienced the greatest joy. Then his eyes opened, and he slid his entire length inside her. She gasped at the size of him, but her body quickly accommodated him. A sigh escaped as his fullness surrounded her.
Cole clenched his jaw together as he fought to keep from spilling his seed. He had watched Shannon come alive in his arms, and now, deep inside her, she was tight, wet and oh so hot.
When her legs wrapped around his waist, he closed his eyes and began to move within her. His need drove him onward, pumping faster, harder, until she was panting with him, meeting him thrust for thrust.
His climax could be put off no longer, and just as he was about to give in, he felt her clenching around his rod. With one more thrust, Cole let himself go.
Never had he soared so high or felt so deeply as he did at that moment deep inside Shannon with her arms and legs wrapped tightly around him.
As the last of her tremors rocked her, Cole pulled out of her and rolled to his side.
She moved until she faced him, a small smile on her lips.
“That was…nothing like I have ever experienced,” she said.
“Me either,” he admitted, not realizing until that moment that it was the truth.
She shook her head. “You don’t have to say that. …”
“I’m not,” he said, cutting off her words. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.” She gave him a hesitant smile. “I never liked sex until now.” Cole found himself chuckling at her until he realized she was serious. “Why?” She shrugged. “Let’s just say that the two other times I had it, it was less than stellar.”
“Then I will endeavor to erase those memories from you,” he said as he moved to kiss her.
“You already have.”
Her declaration made him want to share something with her. Something he had never told anyone other than the Shields.
A secret that people of this realm wouldn’t understand.
Chapter Thirteen
Cole moved a strand of hair that had fallen in Shannon’s face. “I have a secret.” She laughed. “You mean more than being a warrior that kills scary creatures?
Not to mention you can travel through time?” He couldn’t help but smile at her words. “Aye, those are big secrets, but I have another.”
“Tell me,” she urged.
“I’m
immortal.”
For long moments she only stared at him. “Truly?” she asked.
“Truly.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “Where I come from, it is a normal occurrence.”
“And just where is it you hail from?”
“You aren’t at all concerned that I’m immortal?” he asked, unable to believe she hadn’t run screaming from his chamber.
And maybe, on some level, that’s why he had told her, because he knew she was different, what they had just shared was different, and it scared the hell out of him.
She shook her head. “If you can travel through time, why wouldn’t you be immortal?”
Cole could only shrug.
“And Gabriel? Is he immortal?”
Cole had completely forgotten about Gabriel. Had he seen them? “We don’t know,” he finally answered.
“That’s odd,” Shannon said and snuggled against him. “So, tell me where you come from.”
Another secret. Would she be able to handle this one as well? As it was, he didn’t wish to find out. By the time he was ready to give her some reason why she needed to return to her chamber, he looked down and found her asleep.
For the next hour, he watched her drift between dreams until he could hold off no longer. He hurriedly pulled on his clothes then reluctantly woke Shannon to help her dress so she could return to her chamber before Benton returned.
Cole went to his window and found Gabriel in the shadows, after a nod from Gabriel that Shannon’s chamber was empty, he walked Shannon to her chamber.
The kiss was supposed to be short and quick, but one taste of her ignited him yet again. He pulled his mouth from hers and opened her door.
“Go,” he whispered.
She ran her hand down his face, a satisfied smile on her lips.
“Go on,” he urged and closed the door after her.
It wasn’t until he returned to his chamber that he realized he crossed some line he hadn’t known was there.
“Cole.”
He turned toward the window and Gabriel.
“Cole?” Gabriel repeated, his brow furrowed. “What have you done?” Cole shook his head. “The unthinkable.”
* * *
The next morning, Cole no longer cared about information Shannon could collect for them. He had stayed awake the rest of the night devising a plan, partly because Shannon was a distraction and partly because he couldn’t stand to have another dream that ended with her dying in his arms. As soon as he was able, he found Gabriel.
“I have to get Shannon out of here.”
Gabriel took a deep breath and continued to whittle at a piece of wood. “I figured as much. What is your plan?”
“We call Aimery, have him take her back to her time while we get inside the castle and kill the creature and destroy the stone.”
“Seems simple enough,” Gabriel said sarcastically. He threw down the small piece of wood and sheathed his dagger. “What’s gotten into you? You’ve never let a woman get to you like she has.”
“I know,” Cole admitted. “I don’t know what’s happened. I just know that I cannot think straight as long as I know that she’s in danger.”
“Your dreams,” Gabriel stated.
Cole nodded. “The dreams are part of it. I cannot help but feel they are real, and no matter how much we try to keep her safe, we have too much other work to do for just the two of us.”
Gabriel pushed away from the tree. “If you let Aimery take her, you will never see her again.”
“I
know.”
“Then why are you letting her go?”
“It’s the only way. She needs to return to her own time.”
“All right,” Gabriel relented. “Tell me how you expect us to get into the castle.”
“Easy,” Cole said, a smile pulling at his lips. “I plan on taunting Gyles.”
* * *
Gabriel wasn’t keen on Cole’s plan, but he had to admit that it just might work.
Cole going in there alone was what Gabriel didn’t like. They still had no idea just what creature they were up against, and until they did, Gabriel would rather they stayed together.
Not to mention they hadn’t seen the Viking again. What did he have to do with Gyles and the creature, and where was he?
But once Cole made up his mind on something, there was no changing it. Briefly, Gabriel toyed with the idea of calling to Aimery. If anyone could convince Cole to wait it would be the Fae commander, but Gabriel wasn’t the kind of man that liked to ask people for help, and in this instance, the situation needed to be dire before he did anything as drastic as call for Aimery.
Gabriel’s gaze swung back to the tavern. He kept Shannon within sight at all times. Staying hidden wasn’t a problem. The only people in the village that bothered to look at anything were the castle guards, and an entire army could hide from those imbeciles.
He had to admit, Shannon was an attractive woman. She wasn’t someone he would have courted, but then again, he didn’t court any women. How could a man that couldn’t remember his past and not know where he hailed from be able to woo a woman?
Gabriel pulled himself out of his thoughts, for if he lingered too long the images would start again, and he needed to stay focused. With Cole consumed with Shannon, someone had to watch his back, and that someone was Gabriel.
He had already failed in healing a Shield. He wouldn’t be responsible for another’s death.
Chapter Fourteen
Cole stood in the small clearing of the forest and raised his face to the sun as its beams filtered through the branches of the trees. He needed to clear his head, and the only way to do that was to train.
He removed his jerkin and tunic, looked down at the array of axes before him, then reached for the two small single blades. With one in each hand, he twirled them around his head and body, slowly emptying his mind of everything but finding the creature.
Using the techniques the Fae had taught him, he pictured one of the many creatures he had killed and imagined he was fighting it. He lunged, he pivoted, and he attacked the imaginary creature with his axes.
But the smaller blades didn’t give him the satisfaction his war axe did. Cole laid the smaller axes aside and palmed the hefty double-headed war axe Aimery had commissioned for him. The axe was a work of art, truly a beautiful piece of weaponry, and it was Cole’s favorite. The blade gleamed in the sunlight, and it was easy for him to imagine burying it in the gut of the creature.
Cole used his frustration at not discovering the creature and his confusion about Shannon as his motivation. The training technique quickly took over and he was once more fighting a creature. Except this time it was the gargoyle that had dared to try and destroy Mina’s village, the same gargoyle that had taken Darrick’s life.
He swung his axe and ducked, then rolled and came up on his feet as he swung his axe around him. The red eyes of the imaginary gargoyle glowed, and its claws lengthened as it advanced on Cole.
Cole swung his great axe over his head as the gargoyle walked closer then, with a mighty yell, he slammed the war axe into the gargoyle’s head.
He blinked as the image of the gargoyle faded. His breath rushed from his lungs and sweat dripped into his eyes, but his body was as quiet as his mind. He laid the axe beside the others and stretched his arms above his head.
He went over his plan once more, making sure there was no chance that Shannon would be hurt in any way. He didn’t need Hugh there to tell him he was putting a mortal ahead of the mission, but in order for Cole to do his duty, Shannon had to leave. She consumed him, body, mind, and soul.
No woman had ever done that, and it confused and frightened him. And fear wasn’t an emotion Cole ever felt.
Ever.
He wasn’t about to start now.
As he started to reach for his tunic and vest, he heard movement behind him.
Ever so slightly, he moved his left hand to the dagger in his boot as his right hand reached for the tunic. He palmed the dagger the same time he turned.
And found Benton before him.
“I wondered where you had gone,” Benton said as he gazed at the axes. “A fine assortment you have here. Planning to attack anyone?” Cole fingered the dagger and wondered if he should plant it in Benton’s skull.
Instead, he said, “Depends. Do you plan on striking Shannon again?” Benton’s lips turned up in a sneer. “She is of no concern of yours, and the sooner you realize that the better off you’ll be.”
“Says
who?”
“Says Gyles. The baron has need of Shannon.”
“Why?”
Benton crossed his arms over his barrel chest and regarded him. “You ask many questions for a man that is just visiting our little village. Why the interest in a mere serving wench?”
“I take an interest in all women who find themselves bullied.” The more Benton said the more Cole wanted to thrash him.
“Do yourself a favor. Forget her. Forget this place. Leave before Gyles changes his mind.”
Now that intrigued Cole. “Changes his mind about what?”
“Allowing you to live.”
That’s just what Cole needed to hear. “Why should a man who is visiting cause such…disarray…to a mighty baron? Doesn’t the baron have many other problems to tend to?”
“Heed my warning,” Benton repeated. He glanced down at the axes again before he turned on his heel and strode away.
Cole sheathed the dagger and stared after Benton. So, the Baron is worried about me and what I might do.
Had anyone seen the smile on Cole’s face they would have known death was about to come.
* * *
Aimery stood and watched Cole as he poured water over his face from a water skin. The encounter with Benton had been interesting and most likely something Cole would have omitted in telling him.
As Cole pulled his tunic over his head, Aimery made himself visible and walked to him. “I see you’ve made another friend.” Cole chuckled. “I’m the friendly sort.”
“Where is Gabriel?”
Cole hesitated for just a moment, but it was a moment longer than Aimery liked.
Something had happened. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to read anything, Aimery still tried to search Cole’s mind only to find himself blocked. Gabriel would be the same, so there was no use in that either.
“He is watching Shannon,” Cole finally answered.
Shannon? “Who is this Shannon?”
“The woman brought here from another time.” That got Aimery’s attention. He studied Cole’s face, noting the teasing glint was gone from his dark brown eyes. “From the future?”
“Aye,” Cole answered, eying him.
Aimery closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks. “We need to find Gabriel. I have some information you might need.” Cole nodded, gathered his weapons, and led Aimery to Gabriel who stood in the forest at the back of a tavern, the same building in which Cole was staying.
“Aimery,” Gabriel said in surprise, and it seemed, relief.
“Gabriel,” he said and clasped the warrior’s forearm. “How do things progress?”
“Too damn slowly,” Gabriel mumbled. “We’ve only had two fights.” Aimery couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve seen Val and Roderick.” As he thought, both Cole and Gabriel turned their full attention to him.
“And?” Cole urged.
“They are battling Harpies.”
Gabriel swore and fisted his hands.
Cole studied Aimery, noting that the Fae had much more to tell them, but was giving it bit by bit. “As in multiple Harpies?” The Fae nodded. “Three of them to be exact.”
“We need to aid them,” Gabriel said.
“Nay,” Aimery said. “You need to be here.” Cole glanced at Gabriel as his friend ran a hand through his hair in agitation.
Cole knew exactly how he felt, for he felt the same. “Are they all right?”
“For now,” Aimery said. “We’re doing all we can to figure a way to kill them.” Gabriel touched Cole’s shoulder. “If we hurry here, we can help Val and Roderick.”
“There’s more,” Aimery interrupted before Cole could respond.
Cole didn’t like the look in Aimery’s Fae blue eyes. “What is that?”
“Val and Roderick found another girl with a mark.” Cole blinked, not expecting that at all. “How was she in the same city as the creatures?”
“That is what I wondered,” Aimery said as he clasped his hands behind his back.
“I then sent more of my army out to scour the realm.”
“And?” Gabriel said, his voice edged with anger.
Aimery’s gaze met Cole’s. “The creatures are there to kill the girl.” Cole felt as if the breath had been kicked from his lungs. “Are you telling me that one of the girls is here, in this very village?” Aimery
nodded.
“By the gods,” Cole murmured.
“You need to find the girl,” Aimery cautioned. “Keep her away from the creature at all costs. Do you know yet what you battle?”
“Nay,” Gabriel answered. “We do know it’s in the castle, which means the baron controls it.”
“Which also means you should be able to take care of the creature and the stone at once.” Aimery shifted his gaze to Cole. “You said Shannon had been brought here from the future. Have you checked her for the mark?”
Cole s
hook his head. His mind reeled with the new information.
“Discover if she has the mark this night, Cole. Do what you must, but we need to keep whoever the girl is safe. If they kill one more….”
“We’re doomed,” Gabriel finished.
* * *
Shannon wished she could make the day move faster. Where she used to welcome the night so she could try to escape, she now welcomed it so she could be with Cole.
