by Rye Hart
Bhradain was silent for a long moment. "If I do so before ye are ready," he began, "I might lose ye forever." His voice broke on the last words as he moved his gaze away from the fire and onto Eva.
Eva could feel heat creep back up into her cheeks. "You won't lose me," she said softly. She continued to stare intensely into the fire, afraid to look at his face and see the emotions that played across it.
"There is a price one must pay in order to break a curse," he continued in his deep, husky burr. "It might be too high for ye to pay," he added darkly.
Eva knew that Bhradain was trying to warn her, letting her know that she still had the option to get out.
But Eva didn't want to get out. When she had been sent back home, it had pained her greatly to think that she would never be able to return, to see Bhradain again. Although they didn't know each other well, and her adventures in his world had been less than ideal, the connection she felt to him was stronger than anything she had ever felt before. She ached to know him, to comfort him, to make love to him. She understood that it would be a heavy price to help him lift the curse, but whatever it was, it was worth it to save the one man that had ignited a passion in her that had longed to be released.
Eva knew what her answer was.
"I know, but I am willing to pay it, no matter the price. When you are ready, I will be here," she said confidently.
Bhradain shortened the distance between them with one confident stride; his eyes locked with Eva's, while he brought his lips hairsbreadth away from her own.
Eva's heart began to beat fervently in her chest. Her own lips quivered ever so slightly; not out of fear, but from the aching anticipation of what Bhradain might do next.
Bhraidain's eyes sparkled darkly. "Do ye know what ye are saying lass," he said in an intoxicatingly husky voice.
"Of course!" she replied haughtily. "And you better give me a bloody good reason not to change my mind," she defiantly.
A chilling rattle emanated from Bhradain's chest and sent chills down Eva's spine. His eyes darkened, his gaze became more intense as he studied Eva's own bright eyes.
Bhradain opened his mouth to speak, paused, then let out a growl that should have scared Eva; instead, it excited her.
"You don't scare me!" Eva said boldly.
"Oh, lass, but I should," Bhraidain whispered before bringing his arms roughly around Eva's waist and pulling her into a punishing kiss.
Eva's surprise quickly melted into lust as their kiss turned heated and rough. She gasped as their bodies came together in a passionate embrace. The fire that burned within her roared to life the moment that Bhradain's skin touched hers. She ached to be closer, feel his warmth pressed up against hers, and have him move inside of her. She pulled impatiently at his shirt.
"Aye lass, ye have the right idea," he groaned as he helped her by pulling his tunic over his head and tossing aside.
Eva reached for the belt that held his kilt in place, but Bhradain stopped. He took her hand and guided it under the thick fabric.
Eva gasped with delight as her hand grasped his thick manhood. He was wearing nothing underneath; she giggled at the thought.
"Now yer turn," Bhradain said seductively. He tugged at the hem of Eva's t-shirt and pulled it over her head with ease, but he balked when he saw her bra. "How do ye?"
"Like this," Eva smiled as she guided his hands around her back to where the clasps were located. "You unhook it," she said breathlessly.
Bhradain had her bra unhooked and tossed to the side in an instant, freeing Eva's large breasts.
Bhradain didn't need much encouragement before he took the heavy mounds into his large palms. Eva sighed with pleasure as Bhradain squeezed her exposed breasts, taking the time to use his thumb to roughly brush the nipples.
When Bhradain brought his mouth to take one of the soft buds in his mouth, Eva gasped with excitement. Bhradain gently tugged on the hard nipples with his sensual lips, while his tongue danced circles around the pert buds.
Eva moaned and writhed under the Bhradain's erotic kisses. She peered down at him, reveling in the view of her dangerous highlander suckling her full breasts.
Bhradain leaned in closer, sliding his hands around Eva's back and gently guiding her to the ground. "I need ye," he whispered roughly against her ear.
"Same," she gasped as she could feel his hands roaming her exposed skin. Eva felt her center throb as the tension in her body began to build. Her skin felt hot and she ached to have his body fully pressed against hers.
She felt Bhradain tugging at her jeans; she aided him by pulling off the last piece of clothing she was wearing. She now lay exposed, ready, and completely naked under the hard body of Laird Bhradain Drummond.
"I want you inside of me," she whispered as she nipped at his neck.
Bhradain growled in response. "In time," he added huskily. He began to kiss a trail down her torso, following the same path he had taken the other day when he had brought Eva to the point of ecstasy.
Eva, running out of patience, growled back at him. "I need you, now!" she demanded as lust laced her voice.
Bhradain's eyes flashed with desire and he allowed his body to respond for him. He brought his mouth hard against Eva's, their bodies exploding in a frenzied passion.
Eva desperately pushed back Bhradain's thick kilt and grasped his erect manhood, while Bhradain brought his hands firmly under Eva's voluptuous bottom, bringing her even closer to him. In response, Eva wrapped her legs around Bhradain's waist and positioned his cock at just the right spot.
"Fuck me Bhradain," Eva demanded.
Bhradain responded by pushing inside of her.
Eva gasped as Bhradain's thick member filled her and she shivered as he began to take the lead on their erotic, rhythmic dance. She brought her hips up to meet his with each thrust, while her lips continued to explore his mouth.
Eva ran her hands up Bhradain's neck to tangle her in his thick hair. She indulged herself in the sensation of running her fingers through the wild tendrils, while their bodies continued to build toward carnal release.
Slowly, Eva felt herself begin to come close to the edge; her body began to tighten around him, while her mind became consumed only by the thought of pleasure.
When the moment came, she panted as her body shivered with the strength of her own release. Her cries of ecstasy became mixed with Bhradain’s as he joined her in climax.
As they came down from their passion, Eva couldn't help but enjoy the sensation of his body, as it remained connected to hers.
Eva couldn't explain it, but she knew that there was something special about the highlander in her arms.
Chapter Nine
Eva awoke cold and alone. The fire had gone out some time ago and, she quickly realized as she looked around her frantically, Bhradain was gone.
"Damn it,” she fumed. He had deliberately left her alone to take back the castle on his own. She couldn't believe that he would make love to her one moment, and then abandon her in the middle of the woods without so much as a warning the next.
Eva could barely contain her pent up anger. Frustrated, she grabbed a baseball sized rock near her foot and tossed it petulantly into the smoldering embers of the fire. The impact of the stone disrupted the small pile of burnt wood and sent bits of ash into the air.
Why should I wait around here?
She thought they settled the matter. Obviously he had just been placating her.
Well when he gets back, there is no way I'm going to be sitting on my derriere, waiting for him. Eva knew she deserved to be involved in the take-down of the scheming druids, since it was her life they had threatened on more than one occasion. With that final thought, Eva had made up her mind.
She quickly got dressed, as she still was naked from their passionate encounter. Even though she was angry at Bhradain for leaving her behind, her body still had an intense physical reaction to the thought of him. She blushed as she remembered the way he touched her, the moment their
bodies had been joined together, and the ecstasy of their shared climax.
Oh Eva, she thought, whatever are you going to do about him? She knew she was in too deep; the enigmatic and infuriating highlander had already begun to get under her skin. She knew in her heart that she was meant to be here with him, whatever that meant. And although she was angry at him at the moment, she knew that the intense pull between them would make it difficult for her to stay so for long.
She reached to the spot where Bhradain left a small sword for her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the silvery weapon in the grass at her feet. At least he left me something to defend myself with, she thought begrudgingly.
She looked up into the sky and noticed the sun begin to peak over the horizon; she had slept most of the night away.
She quickly picked herself up and proceeded to go in the opposite direction of the rising sun. She knew that they had set up camp at a safe distance from the keep, but they also were close enough as to not waste too much time trying to walk there.
Eva thought that it wouldn't take long to find the keep, but as she continued to walk through the woods, she started to feel less sure that she was going in the right direction. She tried to use the sun as a guide, but as time wore on and it continued to rise higher in the sky, Eva’s heart sank and she realized that she was horribly lost.
This is Laird Drummond's fault, she thought with annoyance. If he hadn't left me in the middle of the woods...
Her thoughts trailed off as she heard a strange noise. She stopped walking and paused, holding her breath while she listened.
She heard nothing but the sound of birds chirping and small animals running along the forest floor.
"I told ye she would be here," echoed a chillingly familiar voice behind her.
Eva's heart began to beat fiercely in her chest as she realized the druids had found her.
Eva whipped around holding the sword that Bhradain had given her shakily in front of her.
She saw nothing.
"Shall we take her to see m’lady?" asked the female druid.
Eva spun around desperately; the voice now sounded like it was coming from the opposite direction. Once again, Eva's eyes fell on nothing but empty trees.
"Where are you?" Eva called out. She tried her best to steady her nerves, but she was having a difficulty. The druids had already tried to kill her once, she was sure they had come back to finish the job.
"We are here to bring ye to the lady," the chanting voices of both druids echoed in unison.
Eva still couldn't see them, but knew they must be close.
"What if I refuse to come with you?" she asked. Eva didn't want to go anywhere with them, knowing they intended to do her harm.
The druids' voices grew incoherent as they consulted with each other in hushed tones. Eva strained to make out what they were saying, but was unable to decipher a word.
"We will nae harm ye," the male druid's voice suddenly broke through.
Eva suddenly felt as though she was losing control of her senses – almost as though there was something controlling her logic and physical movement. It was like an out of body experience she never before felt.
"Ok," Eva said warily. "I will come with you," she surrendered.
A moment later, the druids appeared next to Eva, their cloaks still concealing their faces. "This way," they said in unison. They motioned to Eva to follow them deeper into the woods.
"This way," the female druid said as she led Eva toward a large tree.
Eva gaped as she watched the druid disappear into the trunk of the tree. "How?" she sputtered as she looked at the spot where the druid had stood only a few seconds ago.
"There is a veiled door," the male druid explained blankly. His voice continued to hold no hint of emotion as he spoke. "Follow me," he said flatly, right before he, too, disappeared into the tree.
"Okay?" Eva took a step closer.
But as Eva moved nearer to the spot where the druids had disappeared, the sun caught the tree trunk on an angle and brilliantly illuminated the optical illusion. Indeed, a concealed entrance opened up to a passageway that led into the base of the tree.
Eva looked wildly around her. Now was her chance if she chose to try and outrun the two druids. But even as Eva considered her option of simply running away, she couldn’t move her body.
The tree had opened into a passageway connected directly to the castle. Eva had followed the druids silently down the dimly lit corridor as they made their way into the keep.
I wonder if Bhradain knows about this passageway? Eva wondered. It was a brilliant invention, as it would allow one to move about the surrounding lands with precise efficiency. It was probably how the druids were able to find me so easily, she thought.
It didn't take long before their small party was back inside the stone fortress. The druids guided Eva down deserted hallways as they made their way to the center of the keep.
They stopped abruptly before two large double doors that Eva suspected led into the castle's great hall.
"We leave ye here," the female druid said mysteriously.
Eva had a sudden sense of déjà vu. She remembered the moment when Lady Drummond had left her to the druids and she had narrowly escaped their attempted murder.
Eva nodded her agreement. She still felt like she was trapped inside of a body she had no control over. She turned toward the large doors and pushed them open.
Eva was relieved that her nostrils weren't assailed by the sickly smell of incense. Rather, it was a typical great hall, with long tables placed along edges for when the household took their meals. However, the shutters were closed against the noonday sun and the only light came from a large fireplace and a few candles placed about the room.
"Close the door lass," Lady Drummond said in a gentle voice from across the room. She was seated in a large chair situated near the fire. She had been so quiet when Eva first entered the room, that she hadn't even noticed the small woman at first.
Eva moved toward Lady Drummond, waiting for her to start explaining why she was here and why she kept sending her druid henchmen after her.
"Will ye take a seat," Lady Drummond nodded in the direction of a chair perfectly situated across from her.
Eva was a bit hesitant of becoming too comfortable, but neither did she want to aggravate Bhradain's mother. Eva took a cautious seat.
The whole time Lady Drummond kept her gaze trained on Eva, as if examining her every move. It made Eva feel especially fearful.
"Why did you bring me here?" Eva asked one of the hundred questions swirling in her brain.
Lady Drummond laughed softly. Her voice sounded like a hauntingly sad ballad, as if she was struggling to hold back intense grief. The thought made the hairs on the back of Eva’s neck stand on end.
"Is Bhradain ok?" Eva blurted out.
Lady Drummond didn't speak at first, but rather she studied Eva warily. "Bhradain is nae fine," she said softly. "Today is the day of his birth," she added cryptically.
Eva looked confused. "What do you mean?" She looked wildly around the room. "Where is he?" she asked before turning her attention back to the elderly woman.
"I do not ken," the woman tossed her hands up in the air. "I believe ye would ken the answer to that," she said pointedly.
“Well I don’t know where he is!” Eva nearly shouted. “If you were so concerned about his whereabouts, why did you send him away?” she asked in frustration.
She stood to face Eva, her eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and sadness. "I am the reason why he is controlled by the beast within, I brought the curse upon him, and now I must watch as it robs him a future," she bellowed. Her voice continued to rise, as her tone grew more urgent. "I went to a witch all those years ago with a sick babe," she lamented, "and in order to save him, I agreed to the curse," she wailed sorrowfully. "And now, I have lost him to the beast within." The woman collapsed in a pile back in her chair, sobbing uncontrollably.
Eva w
as too shocked to move. All along, it had been his mother who had cursed him in an attempt to save his life. The burden that threatened to destroy him was the reason why he was even alive today. Eva suddenly saw the situation with new eyes, and her heart went out to Lady Drummond.
Eva crouched down before her. She brought her hand up to stroke the mother’s hair as she tried to comfort and sooth the distressed woman. "It was not your fault, he is here today because of you," she added.
"Nae, he will be dead before the night is over because of me," Lady Drummond sputtered in between sobs.
Eva froze. No, she thought. She had just seen Bhradain last night. "What are you saying?" she asked shakily.
Lady Drummond took a moment to compose herself long enough to form a coherent sentence through her tears. "The curse needed to be lifted before his twenty sixed year of birth. Tomorrow is that day," the woman said bluntly, her eyes conveying their tragic meaning.
"NO!" Eva cried. She backed away from the weeping woman. Her eyes began to sting with their own tears, but she refused to allow them to fall. If I mourn him, it means it is true. "But there is still time?" she nearly shook the older woman. "Tell me there is still time!" she cried out.
