Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay)

by Janet Chapman

  “Gram, I’m going to the state park tomorrow, and we’re going to study the mud flats,” Sarah said as she led her grandmother back into the house. “We gotta find my rubber boots. And I need a plastic pail and old spoon, so I can dig up some clams,” she continued, her voice trailing off as she dragged Patricia deeper into the house.

  “Thank you,” Maddy said, turning to smile at William.

  “For?”

  “For bolstering Sarah’s confidence and giving her some ammunition against their teasing tomorrow. That was very sweet of you.”

  “There ye go again, thinking I’m sweet and thoughtful. Have ye not considered that I might have a more selfish motive?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like maybe if ye feel kindly toward me, you’d reconsider using my truck instead of Eve’s car, so Elbridge can take me driving.” He lifted his hand holding Rose’s reins. “The mare’s fine for getting around town, but it’s hard to strap pieces of lumber to her back for the house I’m building. I need my driver’s license.”

  Maddy stared at his hand holding the reins for several seconds, but then her shoulders suddenly slumped. “Okay, I’ll use your truck.”

  “No, I’ve changed my mind,” William snapped, grabbing Rose’s mane and swinging himself onto her back. He turned the mare and started riding away. “I’ve decided I don’t like feeling beholden any more than you do.”

  “Look, I told you I’d use the truck, and I will,” Maddy snapped back, following him down the driveway.

  He pulled Rose to a halt and looked down at her.

  “I’m not doing it for you; I’m doing it for Elbridge,” she continued, her glare as fierce as a battle-hardened warrior. “And Sarah and I will be at Eve’s tomorrow after work, and I want my horse to be wearing a saddle,” she finished, pivoting around and storming back to the house.

  He started down the driveway again.

  “And William?” she called out.

  He turned to find her smiling at him—rather sinisterly—from the porch.

  “You’re not the only one who can have an ulterior motive,” she said, spinning away and disappearing into the house.

  Chapter Seven

  William balanced the saddle over the stall door, but then stilled when the sun shining through the barn window flashed off the face of his watch. “Have ye ever thought of wearing a timepiece, Gregor?” he asked Kenzie, who was in Curaidh’s stall, brushing the stallion.

  “What for? I just have to look at the sun or stars to know what time it is.”

  “Aye,” William agreed, turning his wrist to study the watch. “But I wonder if men in this century don’t wear them for some reason other than telling time.”

  Kenzie stopped brushing. “Ye mean like jewelry?” He grinned. “Have you taken a fancy to adorning yourself like a woman, Killkenny?”

  William opened Rose’s stall door with a snort and began brushing the mare. “Did ye happen to notice how Maddy kept staring at my arm all through dinner? She told me she didn’t mind that I let Janice at the nursing home order the watch for me, but I’ve caught her eyes straying to it quite often. And the ladies at the home seemed quite adamant that I needed it to go with my new look. I just wondered if watches have some sort of appeal to modern women.”

  “Eve wears a watch. And she bought Mabel one with a large dial that’s easier to see.” Kenzie looked across the aisle and shrugged. “They have no appeal to me.”

  William rolled the cuffs up on his sleeves another turn, deciding he’d ask Mabel what was so special about watches. “I’m afraid we have a bit of a problem with our spoiled little harbor seal friend,” he said, leading Rose out of her stall. “Ye know the rumor going around that a mermaid was spotted out on the Gulf? Well, Maddy’s cousin Trace Huntsman told me last night that he’s the one who inadvertently started it.”

  Kenzie set his arms over Curaidh’s stall door, his face darkened with concern. “But the magic should be shielding the pup’s true nature, and all anyone should see is a common harbor seal. We can’t even see past her mask, so how in hell could Maddy’s cousin know she’s really a woman?”

  “That’s the gist of our problem, I’m afraid. And apparently the pup has realized he can see her, because she gave him a coin.”

  Kenzie stiffened. “Did she also speak to him, or tell him her name or where she’s from? Or what century?”

  “I don’t know what sort of exchange went on between them. I didn’t ask too many questions or let on that I knew anything about her.” William picked up the saddle, settled it on Rose’s broad back, and tightened the cinch. “When Huntsman showed me the coin, I told him only enough to encourage him to confide in me in the future.”

  “Did you recognize the coin?”

  “Only what was on the front, which was the mark of a strong arm.” He scowled across Rose’s back at Kenzie. “It was the same symbol I found on a large stone on my property that eventually led me through time to you.”

  Kenzie grinned. “Aye, ye told me how happy you were to learn that your salvation lay in the hands of a highlander.” He just as suddenly sobered. “And the pup’s, it appears, may lie in the hands of a modern warrior.”

  “A warrior who knows nothing about magic, and doesn’t even believe it exists.”

  Kenzie went back to brushing Curaidh. “It looks as if he’ll be learning about it soon enough. Was there anything else on the coin other than the symbol?”

  “There was writing on the back,” William said, going to the next stall and opening the door. “But I didn’t recognize what language it was. Maybe I should suggest that Trace show you the coin. You could describe it to your brother, and maybe he can tell us what we’ll be facing when whoever the hell is after that pup tries to take her back.”

  Kenzie stepped out of Curaidh’s stall and untied Rose from where William had left her. “When the old witch was trying to prevent me from helping you, Matt explained that her energy was beyond his reach. Providence wouldn’t allow either him or Winter to interfere.”

  “But he’s Cùram de Gairn,” William said in surprise, “one of the most powerful of all the drùidhs. Between the two of them, I thought there was nothing they couldn’t do.”

  “They couldn’t change you back into a man, could they?”

  “Only because it was something I had to do for myself. It was my thinking that needed to be changed before my physical condition could be.”

  “Exactly,” Kenzie said with a slow grin. “And so it is with our pesky little pup. She needs an attitude adjustment a hell of a lot more than she needs a strong arm. But for some reason, Trace sees her as she truly is, and she’s mistaken that as a sign that he can help her.”

  William returned Kenzie’s grin. “Then I guess we’re about to become an army of three, are we not? We just have to explain the magic to Huntsman and teach him how to handle a sword.”

  “Not so fast,” Kenzie warned. “Not until we get a better handle on what we’re up against. The energy pursuing the pup is close; I can feel it. But it seems to be hovering just out of our reach, trying to decide how best to handle us.”

  “Then maybe while we’re waiting, I’ll ask Huntsman to teach me about modern weaponry.”

  “That might be wise, actually,” Kenzie said, giving Rose’s ear an affectionate scratch. “Maybe it’s time we both embrace modern warfare and see how it holds up against the magic.”

  William finished brushing the horse Sarah was going to ride all by herself—much to her mother’s horror, he figured. But the lass was nearly ten; she should have been riding a horse on her own for four or five years already. And Tulip was so gentle she didn’t even kill the flies that plagued her, and would only swat them away.

  He chuckled to himself as he tossed the saddle onto her back. Kenzie’s mares had come from Greylen MacKeage, Winter’s father, who apparently in a moment of weakness, had told his daughters that they could name all of his horses. And being girls, they of course had named every one of his nob
le beasts after a flower.

  But that didn’t seem to stop the mares from throwing amazing colts.

  “I’m thinking I should start building my barn already,” William said. “Do ye suppose Matt would sell me one of his young stallions?”

  Kenzie gave him an incredulous look. “You expect the man to sell you a horse that you intend to pay for with money he gave you?” He snorted. “Christ’s blood, Killkenny, that’s ballsy even for you.”

  William ignored that, even as he thought that getting one up on a highlander—especially a powerful drùidh—was little consolation against the sheep-stealing bastard’s ancestors who had constantly raided his homeland.

  “Couldn’t you feel me kicking you under the table?” Eve asked, handing Maddy a soapy plate.

  Maddy ran it through the rinse water and started drying it off. “I thought you were playing footsie with your husband and kept getting mixed up.” She smiled at her friend. “Pregnancy does addle one’s brain.”

  “I was kicking you for spending the entire meal trying not to openly stare at William. Every time I looked over, you were watching his hand go from his plate to his mouth. I swear, if I had heard you sigh one more time, I was going to throw my milk at you.”

  Damn if Maddy didn’t sigh again just picturing William eating. “Hey, what can I say?” she said with a grin, taking another plate from her. “I have a thing for masculine forearms and big broad hands. Come on,” she said, nudging Eve with her hip. “Don’t you think it’s sexy when a guy rolls back his cuffs and exposes all that hair-covered muscle? I personally like how a man’s forearm tapers into a tight wrist and then flares into a broad, powerful hand.” She fanned herself with the plate. “I swear, I could come just watching those powerful hands roam all over me.”

  Eve stopped in the middle of handing her another plate and gaped at Maddy. She shook her head. “My God, you need a date worse than I thought. If you don’t get those hormone levels back in the safe zone, you’re liable to hurt yourself.”

  “It’s going to take more than a date to cure my case of hornies; what I need is a down-and-dirty, full-blown affair.”

  Eve blinked. “Good Lord, you’re serious. But you were staring at William’s forearms. I thought big, strong, manly men like Kenzie and William scared the bejeezus out of you.”

  “Men like that used to scare the bejeezus out of me. But I’ve been thinking that if Billy Kimble has the balls to bang some eighteen-year-old twit, I sure as hell ought to have the courage to do the same.”

  “You want to bang an eighteen-year-old twit?” Eve asked deadpan.

  “No!” Maddy choked on a laugh. “Although I have heard that the younger you get them the more trainable they are.”

  “Madeline Kimble!”

  Maddy darted a look toward the living room, where Sarah was telling Mabel and Patricia about her triumphant field trip today, as well as explaining the art of misdirection to them. “I’ve decided I’m going to jump Killkenny’s bones,” Maddy whispered, smiling at her friend’s shock. She leaned closer. “But whatever you do, don’t tell him, because I want it to be a surprise.”

  Eve opened her mouth but nothing came out, and Maddy plucked the plate out of her hand with a laugh. “But I need a plan; something other than just walking up to him and saying, ‘Hey there, Willy. Would you mind letting me blow your socks off—or anything else you might have that needs . . . blowing?’” She reached over and lifted Eve’s mouth closed. “What? You don’t think I’d dare?”

  “Maddy,” Eve hissed, taking hold of her arm and dragging her out onto the porch. “William Killkenny isn’t some eighteen-year-old twit; he’s like Kenzie and Robbie MacBain and the MacKeage men who helped rebuild our house.” She arched a brow. “Are you forgetting what happened to Susan? You so much as even bat your big brown eyes at William, and he’s going to have you naked before you can even ask him if you can . . . if he’s got . . .” She sighed. “What happened to him being an uncouth, lecherous caveman you don’t want anything to do with?”

  “Have you looked at him lately?” Maddy asked, waving toward the barn where the men were saddling the horses for their ride. “The guy not only cleaned up well, he literally takes my breath away. And you should see him with our residents. He’s sweet and thoughtful, and he sincerely likes them. So what’s your problem all of a sudden? I thought you wanted me to take an interest in William.” Feeling prickles of heat rise to her cheeks, Maddy smoothed the front of her blouse. “Or do you think William wouldn’t be interested in me?” she asked softly.

  “No! What would make you say something like that?”

  Maddy tucked her escaping hair behind her ear, suddenly having second thoughts about her grand plan to seduce William Killkenny. She gave a self-conscious laugh. “We both know I’m not exactly a sex kitten. I mean, really; my girls never did perk back up again after I had Sarah, and I could lose twenty pounds and still not fit into my old cheerleader uniform. And the last time I had a tan and sun-streaks in my hair was in high school.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Eve growled.

  “Yeah, I know. I have beautiful brown eyes and a smile that lights up the world, just like my nine-year-old daughter.” She snorted. “And we both know how men love fondling a woman’s eyes.”

  Eve shot her a scathing look. “My God, how did we go from your wanting to blow William to your blowing yourself up?”

  Maddy sighed. “I think I’m in the early stages of menopause—one minute I’m horny as a toad, the next I’m feeling sorry for myself and can’t stop crying, and then the next minute I just really, really want to hit something. And sometimes I’m all three at the same time! It has to be my hormones getting ready to croak.”

  “You are not going through menopause!” Eve hissed. “You’re twenty-seven.”

  “Yeah, but some days I feel seventy-seven,” Maddy shot back, although she couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s ferocious glare.

  “Oh, it’s your hormones, all right. Only they’re not croaking, they’re getting ready to explode all over the first man brave enough to get you naked.”

  “But you just said—”

  “What I was trying to say,” Eve snapped, cutting her off, “is that if you jump William’s bones, you’d better be prepared for the consequences. I’m not trying to scare you off, Maddy. I’m trying to tell you that he’s not like the men around here.” She glanced at the barn before lowering her voice. “Remember how I kept complaining about how old-fashioned Kenzie was? Well, I have a feeling William’s even more old-fashioned.” Eve grabbed Maddy’s shoulders and shot her a smile. “Nobody wants to see you and William together more than I do. But because I’m your very best friend, it’s my duty to warn you that you’ll be getting more than you bargained for if you pursue this. You remember how you told me you thought Kenzie was an all-nighter kind of guy?”

  Maddy nodded, smiling smugly. “And I was right, wasn’t I?”

  “Well, I suspect William is an all-weekend kind of guy.”

  “All weekend?” Maddy rolled her eyes. “I wish. Billy was good for twenty minutes, half an hour tops, and that was before Sarah was born and we had all the time in the world. All weekend?” she repeated in a whisper.

  Eve nodded. “You start an affair with William, I bet that from the minute you drop Sarah off at Billy’s on Friday to when he brings her back Sunday afternoon, William won’t let you see the light of day.”

  “Wow. All weekend,” Maddy repeated, looking toward the barn. “I can’t imagine spending two full days in bed with a man.”

  “And nights,” Eve added with a snicker.

  Maddy stepped away and lifted her boobs, then watched gravity drop them back into place. “Holy hell, I’m going to have to start working out.”

  “So does that gleam in your eye mean you’re going for it?” Eve asked.

  Maddy looked toward the barn again, and saw Kenzie and William leading three huge horses out of the barn—two with a saddle and one without.


  And damn if William didn’t have his cuffs rolled up even farther.

  She looked back at Eve. “Hell yes, I’m going for it. I have six years of repressed hormones threatening to explode.” She shot her a smile. “If for no other reason, I have to do it for my health.”

  “Are ye ready for a good ride, Maddy?” William asked, stopping at the bottom of the steps to grin up at her. “We’ll take it slow and easy the first few times, so ye don’t get too sore, and then we’ll really get daring.” His eyes sparkled in the low-hanging sun. “I promise, lass, once ye see how fun it can be, you’ll be begging me to do it every chance we can.”

  Maddy grabbed Eve when she heard her friend gasp. “I’ll get Sarah,” she said with a strangled gasp of her own, pulling Eve into the house. She barely got the door closed before she bent over in full-blown laughter even as she pointed at Eve, who was laughing so hard she was sputtering. “Don’t say it!” Maddy yelped, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Omigod, I think I just peed my pants!”

  Chapter Eight

  “I’m going to be sick,” Maddy whispered, clutching her stomach.

  Eve laughed, pushing her hands out of the way to finish buttoning her blouse. “You are not. That’s just your hormones doing a happy dance.”

  “I can’t believe I let Lois and Charlotte badger me into asking William on a date. I swear when he said yes I nearly threw up. And I couldn’t do a damn thing right the rest of the day.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I think I put Mem’s dentures to soak in ginger ale, and I know I sent Hiram home on the Lynx bus without any socks.”

  “It’s August. He probably wasn’t even wearing socks.”

  “But Hiram’s not a day camper; he lives there!” Maddy covered her face with her hands. “What have I gotten myself into? It’s been so long since I’ve been on a real date that I’ve forgotten what to do!” She dropped her hands when she heard Eve laughing again. “You think this is funny?”