Rhys kissed the single tea away. “Not many would agree with you.” He reached up along the top of the wood door frame and pulled down a key. He unlocked the bolt and the door squeaked as he opened it.
“Wait here,” he said and entered the room, getting swallowed up by darkness.
A light suddenly flickered and grew and Heather did not wait, she was too eager to see what was inside. She stopped and stared when she entered the room. The room was half full of chests with fine silks spilling out of some while other chests overflowed with fine garments. Gold statues and artfully painted urns sat side by side and large round pillows in bright colors were piled haphazardly on top of one another. Gold candlesticks almost as tall as she stood like sentinels near the window.
She walked amidst the items to stand in the middle and take in all she could, though she surely missed something, there was so much to see. Her eyes landed on her husband. “What is all this?”
“Things I collected in the three months I was a free man. Some I purchased myself with the coins I earned for winning my freedom, some were gifted to me for my bravery and some were gifts from Haidar.” He walked over to her and took her in his arms. “These are all for you, though it is only half of what awaits you at home.”
“They are all truly beautiful. I do not know what to look at first.”
“Look to your heart’s content and if you see anything that you want to look more closely at I will get it for you.”
Heather drifted out of her husband’s arms and walked around, stopping now and again to touch or look over the various items, until finally she said, “I found something that catches my eye and I want more than anything.”
Rhys went to her side. “Show me it and it is yours.”
Heather smiled and tapped his chest. “You, I want you. You are worth more to me than all the riches in the world.”
Rhys took her face in his hands. “I do so love you, wife.” He kissed her, intending it to be no more than a light, tender kiss.
Heather would not have it. She did not think nor did she care that she was still healing. She had missed her husband and the intimacy they shared, and she let him know it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging on as if she would never let go, rubbed her body invitingly against his, feeling him grow in strength against her, and kissed him with a hunger that left no doubt what she wanted from him.
Rhys tried to fight it. She was still healing, he reminded himself. He had to get her back into bed, a thought that only fueled his rapidly mounting passion.
Push her away. Send her to her chambers. Take your hands off her. Stop kissing her.
Heather tore her mouth away from his. “Please, please,” she begged, “make love to me.”
“You need to rest,” he argued.
“I need you more.”
“You have not fully healed.” Was he trying to convince her or himself?
“Your love will heal me.”
He did not want to deny her or himself, but it was for her own good. He was about to tell her just that when she stepped away from him and stripped herself bare.
Chapter Thirty-one
Rhys had been trained to never lose control, to never to let anything rule him, to always be in command. At this moment, he was not in command...love for his wife had taken command.
He went to the door, shut it, then striped himself bare and as he walked over to his wife, he said, “We go slow and easy, for you are still bruised and sore.”
Heather smiled and ran at him, jumping just as she got to him.
Rhys caught her and her legs locked around his body, her arms around his neck and her lips took charge of his. So much for slow and easy, he thought.
It took only a few short minutes for him to lose all reason and surrender to not only her hunger, but his as well. He turned to carry her to the pillows.
“No! No!” she protested. “The door, brace me against the door and make me come hard and fast, then we can go to the pillows and you can make me come again.”
“Only twice?” he teased.
She turned a stricken expression on him. “Good lord, no! You have two days to make up for.” She smiled then and resumed kissing him.
Her teasing words turned him hard and raging passion took control and with quick strides he carried her to the door, braced her against it, lifted her bottom, and drove into her.
She dropped her head back against the door with a thud and moaned with pleasure before saying. “I have so missed the feel of you inside me.”
Rhys settled his lips on her neck and in between playful nips said, “I have missed you, Heather, God how I have missed you.”
Tears stung her eyes. He was not talking about the last two days, but the last ten years. She choked back her tears and lowered her head, to whisper in his ear. “Never again. We will never be separated again.”
“Never,” he agreed and he did as she asked, he took her hard and fast and when she climaxed, her screams of pleasure fading, he carried her to the pillows and stirred her again.
Rhys had not intended for them to make love as long as they did and by the time they finished, sunrise was not far off and Heather was sound asleep.
He dressed, then wrapped her in a strip of red silk he took from one of the chests and carried her down to their bedchamber and tucked her in bed and kissed her on the cheek before leaving her to sleep.
He found Pitt in the Great Hall talking with Rogan and Hunter and joined them.
“I am surprised, though relieved, to see that Patience is still abed,” he said teasingly to Hunter.
Hunter laughed. “She is with your warrior Henry insisting he teach her some of his skills.”
Rhys shook his head, though had to laugh. “How do you manage being wed to her?”
“I have thought the same myself,” Rogan said with a grin.
Hunter raised his tankard. “With humor and passion.”
Nessa approached the table with another pitcher of ale.
“Nessa, go fetch Lady Heather’s garments from the room on the upper floor that is now unlocked and take them to her room, but do not wake her. She needs her rest.”
Pitt was quick to stand. “I will help you.” He placed his hand to her lower back and escorted her from the room.
“I do not think the task will be done soon,” Hunter said, grinning.
Rhys shook his head and told them about Fife and what he had done to Nessa. “I believe Pitt had feelings for Nessa before everything happened and afterwards when he was there to comfort and help her, he began to realize just how much he cared for her. Time will tell if Nessa feels the same.”
“Considering everything that has gone on here, your people seem content. No one protests leaving?” Rogan asked.
“It is not their choice; it is mine,” Rhys said. “And I do what must be done for their well-being.”
“My brother Greer cares for no one’s well-being. He wants war with the Clan Macinnes. He has wanted war with them for some time. He has planned for war and has gathered allies that fear him too much to deny him,” Hunter said.
Rhys shook his head. “Then his allies must be made to fear someone more than him. And I am sure you have something to say about that, Patience, so do join us.”
“Damn, you heard me,” Patience said, stepping out of the shadows and approaching the table. “I thought I might have gotten the hang of walking silently.”
Hunter held his hand out to her. “I did not hear you.”
“Neither did I,” Rogan said.
Patience took her husband’s hand and slipped her legs over the bench to sit beside him. “You two do not count.” She looked to Rhys. “And the only person Greer’s allies would fear more than him would be you. But it takes time for word to reach them that the Dark Dragon has wed a Macinnes and is now allied with the clan. And then there is your foe. Surely he would ally with Greer if it would benefit him.”
“Haidar does not ally with anyone. He uses them until they are of no more u
se to him.”
“I am curious,” Patience said.
“A trait you share with your sister,” Rhys said.
“I share many good traits with her and Emma,” Patience said with a smile. “Why leave here when sizeable troops have arrived to protect you?”
“They are not here to protect me. They are here to prevent war.”
Nessa rushed into the room. “Lady Patience, your sister Emma asks that you hurry to Lady Heather’s room.”
Patience sprang up off the bench, though not as quickly as Rhys.
“What is wrong?” Rhys demanded, walking toward Nessa with Patience hurrying alongside him.
Nessa bit at her lips and tears stung at her eyes. “I do not know.”
Rhys hurried up the stairs, Patience trying unsuccessfully to get passed him. He threw open the door and Patience ducked under his arm and rushed in before him.
“What is wrong?” Patience asked anxiously.
“Nothing,” Heather assured her sister with a yawn.
Rogan and Hunter entered the room and stood to the side.
Rhys looked at his wife and silently cursed himself. She looked exhausted, her face pale and her eyes drooping, as if they wished to close, and her shoulders slumped.
“I could not wake her,” Emma said worry still clear in her voice. “And I found her wrapped in this red silk...” She did not finish the obvious. Heather was naked beneath the red silk.
“I woke in the middle of the night and could not sleep. I only fell asleep a short while ago,” Heather explained her face flushing pink.
“You are feverish again and how do you explain what you are wrapped in?” Emma asked her hand going to Heather’s brow.
Heather shoved her sister’s hand away. “I have no fever. I am tired that is all.”
Patience turned and marched over to Rhys and poked him in the chest. “You did this. You could not keep your hands off her.”
Emma gasped. “Did you? I warned you against it.”
Hunter and Rogan went to their wives.
Rogan slipped his arm around Emma. “This is best left to Rhys and Heather.”
Hunter took hold of Patience. “Rogan is right.”
Patience squirmed out of her husband’s grip and poked Rhys again. “I thought you loved Heather.”
“He does!” Heather said in a stern voice as she climbed out of bed, tucking the red silk that cocooned her to hold at her chest. She grimaced as she walked toward Patience.
Rhys moved to help her, but she stopped him with a raised hand and a stern look. She stopped beside Patience and Hunter wisely stepped away. “I do not interfere with you and Hunter. She looked over at Emma. “Or you and Rogan. I ask the same of you when it comes to my husband and me.”
“I do not want to see you hurt,” Patience said.
“Either does my husband,” Heather said.
Emma fought back tears. “We have always looked after each other.”
“And we always will,” Heather assured her. “But things have changed since we wed.” She turned to Patience. “You need to know that the Dark Dragon loves me and I love him just as I know Hunter loves you and you love him.” She turned to Emma. ”And Rogan loves you and you love him. You see, we are not the only ones who love us anymore.”
“I do not want us to part,” Emma said a tear running down her cheek as she walked over to her sisters.
“We will never part,” Heather said, holding her arm out to embrace Emma.
Patience slipped under Heather’s other arm.
Rhys nodded to Hunter and Rogan and the three men slipped quietly out of the room, leaving the sisters alone.
Heather kissed Emma’s brow. “I will be there to deliver my niece or nephew.” She turned to Patience and hugged her close. “And you will come spend time with Rhys and me so you can learn the ways of the ghost warriors. We will never part. We will always be sisters and we will always love one another.”
The three hugged and tears were plentiful, but the Macinnes sisters knew without a doubt that love would always keep them together.
~~~
Rhys found his wife on the upper floor directing Nessa in the packing of Mary McComb’s solar.
“You have not slept enough,” he scolded as he walked over to her and took her in his arms.
“I could not return to sleep after speaking with my sisters,” she said, resting her head to his welcoming chest. “And I want to make sure that everything I want goes with us since you have plans for us to leave tomorrow.”
Rhys shook his head. “I need not ask how you know. You have friends here who would tell you.”
“I do not see how we can be done by tomorrow,” Heather said, “though your warriors have worked hard in emptying the room of all your treasures and loading them on to the enclosed wagons.”
“Your sisters have been a great help and my people were aware that this was not a permanent home. I think most look forward to leaving and finally going home.”
Heather kissed his cheek. “You will always be my home, Rhys.”
That she continued to acknowledge him as Rhys, pleased him. He was Quinn no more and had not been for some time, and he was relieved that she understood that.
“I love you, wife,” he said and hugged her close.
She smiled. “I will never grow tired of hearing you tell me that.”
“And I will never grow tired of telling you,” he said. “Now how can I help?”
~~~
Heather yawned and dropped down in the chair by the hearth. Tonight would be her last night here. It was the place where she had come to discover her love for the Dark Dragon and reclaim her love for Quinn. It would always hold a special spot in her heart.
Rhys came up behind her and rested a strong hand on her shoulder. “You need to sleep. It will not be an easy journey for you with those bruises that still pain you. I have a cart prepared for you to travel in.”
Heather laughed. “I will ride in no cart. I left Macinnes keep in your arms and I will return there in your arms.”
“You are a stubborn woman.”
She laughed again. “I am a loving wife who does not wish to leave her husband’s side.”
Rhys stepped in front of her and lifted her out of the chair and up into his arms. “And by my side is where I always want you to be.”
“There is something I wish you to do for me,” Heather said.
“Anything,” Rhys said.
Heather went and retrieved the ring she had saved from the fire and handed it to him.
“I looked for this, regretting I had thrown it in the flames.”
“It sealed our love once and I wish it to seal our love again,” she said. “It is a symbol of our everlasting love.”
Rhys took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. “I was surprised, though pleased to see that you still had it.”
“I wore it the whole time you were gone, only taking it off when I thought I would wed and still I kept it close. I wore it on a ribbon around my neck. Now, it will forever remain on my finger.”
Rhys kissed her gently as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. They would not only seal their love again this night, but they would make memories to live long in their hearts.
~~~
Sunrise brought with it a flurry of activity. The animals were the first to be led away, since it would take a bit more time to get them to Macinnes land. Wagons were piled with furnishings and food supplies and laughing children thought it a delight to ride upon them.
Emma joined Heather to see if anyone needed tending before it was time to leave. And afterwards it was her sisters’ turn to leave. They hugged and talked of how tonight they would celebrate at home, a family once more if only for a brief time.
The people went next, walking alongside their carts, talking and laughing and not at all upset that they were leaving, but then Rhys had said they would be going home soon and who would not want to go home?
Nessa smiled as she
waved to Heather, looking happier than she had expected, but then Nessa was leaving unhappy memories behind.
Heather walked into the keep to have one last look. It was so silent and empty. Anything that had remotely made it a home had been removed. It was now an empty shell. She hurried outside, memories causing tears to run down her cheeks.
The small village was empty, not a sound was heard.
“It is time to leave,” Rhys said, coming up behind her.
Heather turned and melted into his arms, letting her tears fall, knowing that she was leaving much behind, though taking so much more with her.
Rhys lifted her onto his horse and mounted behind her. He reached down and took something from one of the warriors that had been standing there.
“A gift for you,” Rhys said.
Before Heather could tell him that she needed no more gifts from him, he dropped the black pup with the white paw in her lap. The little fellow scrambled up her chest to lick her tears away.
“He saved you and since he protected you once he will always do so. Name him what you will, he is yours.”
Heather smiled and hugged the little pup close and, content with where he was, he curled up against her and went to sleep.
Rhys directed his stallion away from the village and once a short distance away, he turned his horse and raised his hand.
Soon cottage after cottage went up in flames and when flames poured from the keep’s windows, tears rolled down Heather’s cheeks.
“It was necessary,” Rhys said, feeling her weep. “If I had not done it, when Haidar found it empty he would have. And it was not his to burn.”
Rhys turned his stallion. “Now it is time to prevent a war.”
Chapter Thirty-two
Heather had been at Macinnes keep for two days now and it was funny how it no longer felt like home to her. She had never thought the day would come when she would feel that way. But she had been wrong. While she still cared for the people here and loved her family, it was different now that she had Rhys. And more recently Finn, the name she had given the little pup who was entertaining himself by scampering through the garden, taking bites of different plants.
Highlander The Dark Dragon Page 27
