Highlander Lord of Fire

by Donna Fletcher

  Her arm felt the hilt of his knife resting at his one side. She didn’t want to think how dangerous that could prove, but he was being kind to her right now and that was all that mattered.

  Besides, she had asked her mum for help and her mum had sent someone. She would have never sent someone that would mean her harm, even if it was a barbarian.

  The warmth they shared, the strength of his arm around her all served to relax her, and she found her eyes growing heavy with sleep.

  A not so gentle shake woke her.

  “We go.”

  She shook her head, trying to clear the sleep from it. She didn’t know how long she’d slept, though she still felt heavy with sleep.

  She shook her head again and asked, “Where do we go?”

  He backed out of the hollow tree, no answer coming from him.

  Fear raced through her. She had no idea where this stranger was taking her and she had no recourse but to blindly follow him. She almost laughed, thinking she was doubly blind at the moment.

  Snow and wind snapped at her when she stepped out of the shelter, Thaw following closely, though the wind didn’t hit her as harshly as before. There was a lull in the snowstorm and the man was taking advantage of it.

  It was when she realized the snow now went well past her ankle that she realized she must have slept several hours. She reached down and scooped Thaw up, fearing the deeper snow would be too difficult for him to maneuver.

  To Snow’s shock and fear, the man grabbed the pup from her arms and dropped him in the snow.

  “He walks.”

  She barely heard him through Thaw’s barks.

  “The snow will swallow him,” she argued, her head turning to look for his shadow, difficult to find through her shadowy sight.

  She jumped when his hand gripped her arm.

  “We go.”

  He yanked her along with him and she had little choice but to keep up with him. She called out to Thaw to make sure he was close by and was relieved each time she heard his nearby bark.

  It seemed like hours they walked without stopping, her limbs burning from trudging through the deepening snow.

  Finally, she just couldn’t take another step and yanked her arm, calling out, “I need to stop.”

  The next thing she knew she was lifted off the ground and thrown over the man’s shoulder.

  Thaw protested for her, barking furiously and she was sure the small blur that followed under her dangling head was him.

  “I’m all right, Thaw. I’m all right,” she said to calm him, fearful he would tire himself out and not be able to keep up. Gratefully, his barking stopped and he kept pace.

  There was no point in voicing her anger and besides, she truly couldn’t take another step. She, however, wondered over the unrelenting strength of the man and how he could continue his strong pace with her added weight. But most of all she wondered where he was taking her and how he could even see where he was going, the wind having picked up once again and no doubt the snow with it.

  How long he walked carrying her, she couldn’t tell? Whether it was day or night, she couldn’t tell? Where they were, she had no idea. She was completely dependent on this man.

  It wasn’t long before she grew uncomfortable and called out, “I can walk.”

  He either didn’t hear her or he paid her no heed. He kept walking.

  She tapped hard on this back to get his attention. “Put me down.”

  He ignored her.

  Annoyed, she pounded at his back. “Put me down.”

  He kept walking, but Thaw started barking.

  She realized then that Thaw sensed her distress and was fighting for her to be heard. Fearful the man might hurt him, she ceased her demands and assured Thaw she was fine.

  It wasn’t long after that she was dropped to her feet and Thaw was suddenly between her legs growling.

  “Stay,” the man ordered.

  Where did he think she’d go? And where was he going? He wouldn’t leave her, not after carrying her the way he had. Would he?

  She heard a noise mingling with the wind, but couldn’t make out the sound. She didn’t jump this time when his hand gripped her arm and hurried her forward. She felt Thaw keeping pace between her legs.

  The wind stopped suddenly.

  “Shelter. Stay,” he snapped and she heard what she thought was a door close.

  She looked around but saw no gray blur that she usually saw when a person was near and no growl came from Thaw. She heard him sniffing around. He was exploring and she should do the same.

  She stretched her hands out in front of her and took short, careful steps, feeling her way around. She bumped into something and she explored it with her gloved hands. It was a small table and two chairs sat with it. More careful steps took her to a wall and as she made her way around the room, she felt a door. She came upon a cold, stone hearth next and after that her leg bumped into what she discovered was a bed, a narrow one from what she could feel.

  From what she could tell, it was a small cottage the man had left her in. Was it his? But what would a barbarian be doing with a cottage on Scottish land? And whose land was this?

  “Thaw,” she called out and the pup jumped up to press his paws against her leg. She scooped him up and hugged him tight. “The man has helped us so far. I don’t think he means us harm.”

  Thaw didn’t agree, he growled.

  “I suppose that animal head he’s wearing doesn’t help you trust him,” she said, rubbing behind his ear, his favorite spot.

  He growled again.

  “I’ll pay heed to your warning, but at the moment we’re stuck with him.” She held him up in front of her face, wishing she could see more than a gray blur. “And you will do nothing to bring harm to yourself.” She smiled when he licked her nose and she kissed his snout before placing him on the ground.

  She returned to exploring the small space, hoping to find some type of kindling to start a fire in the hearth. She hadn’t gone far when she heard the door open and felt a rush of wind enter along with the man.

  Thaw immediately was at her side, letting loose with a growl.

  She scrunched her eyes in the direction of the shadowy blur as if somehow that would help her see more clearly. Of course, it didn’t. She still couldn’t see any better and she wondered if she ever would.

  Self-pity will do you no good, she silently reminded herself. Especially now.

  She managed to make out that he had dropped down by the hearth. Had he gotten wood for a fire? But it would be wet. It would not burn. So it surprised her that not long after she caught a whiff of smoke and felt a touch of warmth. He had got a fire burning.

  The heat grew, flaring stronger and stronger throughout the small room.

  The man stood and his shadow seemed to overpower the small space. Thaw even backed away to sit closer in front of her, his growl not as strong.

  She watched and from his blurred movements she thought he reached up and removed the animal head to place on the table. How she wished she had her sight at that moment. But surprisingly she found it unnecessary.

  * * *

  “What in God’s name were you doing out in that snowstorm alone?”

  Snow recognized that voice and her eyes scrunched in an angry scowl as she said, “Tarass!”

  Chapter 3

  “Aye, it’s me and how foolish are you to be out in a snowstorm like this on your own,” he reprimanded, still shocked from finding her wandering around on her own in the raging snow.

  “What are you doing wearing the garments of a barbarian?” she demanded.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  He warned in such a menacing way that she held her tongue.

  “Explain,” he ordered, “and silence your pup’s growls or I will.”

  “Thaw wouldn’t growl if you weren’t so belligerent,” she said with a wag of her finger at him.

  “Don’t wag that finger at me, woman,” he ordered.

  “Then don�
��t order me about. You have no right. You’re not my husband and thank God you never will be,” she said and gave one last shake of her finger.

  He was suddenly right in her face, his hand swallowing her fingers in a tight grasp while Thaw growled threateningly at him,

  “You would learn obedience soon enough if you were my wife,” he said, his face so near that the tip of his nose touched hers. “Now silence that pup of yours.” He stepped away from her.

  “Quiet, Thaw,” Snow ordered three times before the pup settled into a low growl.

  It was getting hot in the small space and Snow slipped her cloak off and felt for the back of one of the two chairs to drape it across.

  “Tell me what happened, since there is no way your family would let you go off on your own and while you’re often more foolish than not, I don’t believe you’d be that foolish.”

  “Your compliments always overwhelm me,” Snow said.

  “Sarcasm will not help your situation.”

  “You’re right,” she agreed with a nod, thinking it would do no good to antagonize him in her current dilemma. She needed his help in getting home.

  “Finally, you speak words that make sense.”

  Snow bit her tongue so hard she thought she’d make it bleed.

  “I’m waiting,” he said impatiently.

  She caught his movements and she surmised he was shedding his furs as she had done with her cloak.

  “Light flurries were falling when I left Willow’s home with Finn,” she began. “The snowstorm seemed to come from out of nowhere. He stopped and tied a rope from my horse to his so he wouldn’t lose me,”

  “That was wise of him. So what happened?”

  “After a while his horse stopped and so did mine. I called out but got no answer. Thaw jumped out of my arms and I went after him. He led me to Finn.” Sorrow had her pausing a moment. “He was on the ground dead. I felt no wounds on his chest and head. I assumed his heart simply stopped as my mum would say.”

  “Finn was a good man.”

  Snow was surprised he knew Finn and that he offered even a small bit of condolence. Did the Lord of Fire possibly have a heart?

  “Of course, you foolishly didn’t think to keep hold of the horses when you went in search of Finn.”

  Nope, he had no heart, she thought and bit her tongue again.

  “I tried to find them—”

  “In a blinding snowstorm and being blind yourself. Now there’s a wise decision.”

  Snow’s anger flared. “What was I to do? My one chance of getting home was to find the horses and hope they would take me there.”

  “And deliver you frozen to your brother. You should have sought shelter,” he argued.

  “What does it matter?” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “You came along and rescued me.”

  “You could have died,” he snapped.

  “And I still might,” she snapped back.

  “You don’t think I can see you safely home?”

  “I fear that I irritate you so much that you might kill me before you have a chance to do so.” She sighed, exhausted. “All I want is to go home. I promise I will hold my tongue while here with you, if you would please just get me home safely.”

  She startled when he suddenly stood in front of her again.

  “I will not harm you. You have my word on that and you have my word that I will see you get home safely.”

  “I appreciate that, my lord,” she said, addressing him properly.

  “You think to address me properly when you have failed to do so endless times?”

  She bit her tongue again, thinking she might very well lose it by the end of their time together.

  “No response?” he asked.

  “I promised I would hold my tongue,” she said.

  “Good,” he said and turned away.

  “More like biting it,” she murmured for her ears alone.

  “What was that you said?” he asked, turning back around.

  “Just warning Thaw not to bite you,” she said and Thaw gave a growl as if protesting her command. “Do you know where we are? Close to my home? My sister’s?”

  “We’re closer to my home. As soon as the snow allows we’ll head there and when the weather permits I’ll see you get home safely.”

  The thought of having to stay in unfamiliar surroundings with not a familiar person to help her terrified her. This small space she could quickly become familiar with and easily maneuver on her own, but a village and keep she had little memory of, not having been there since she was young, was another matter. And how in heaven’s name had they wound up closer to his home than hers? Had Finn misjudged direction? He knew the area far too well along with the land markers. Had a snowstorm driven him that far off course?

  She felt for the chair where she had draped her cloak and sat lost in her worrisome thoughts.

  Tarass watched her and he saw how Thaw kept watch on him. The pup’s dark eyes followed his every move as he remained firmly planted against Snow’s leg. The pup never left her side and though he had grown some he hadn’t yet gained the strength and size to protect her adequately. However, that did not stop him from trying and for that he had to admire the pup’s confidence and tenacity.

  He was much like Snow… stubborn, willful, her tongue snappish, foolishly standing up to those much stronger and more powerful than herself. She was blind in more ways than one.

  James, her half-brother, needed a firmer hand when dealing with her. He was much too lenient, letting her wander on her own. Strict watch should be kept over her at all times. Maybe after this unfortunate incident James would see that and do what was necessary. If not, harm was bound to find Snow.

  It was difficult to deny her beauty and none did. Many agreed that out of all three Macardle sisters, she was the most beautiful. The three shared red hair and green eyes, though the red color was different for each. Snow’s hair shined with a red brilliance that caught the eye as it fell well past her shoulders. Her green eyes had a shine to them as well, not bright or bold, but pleasant as if they greeted you along with the smile she often wore. At least that was what others said about her, since she seldom bestowed a smile on him.

  Looking at her now she appeared upset and he could easily guess why. She wanted to go home to what was familiar to her, not be stuck in a place she didn’t know. He would have to assign one of the women to attend her since she wouldn’t be able to get around on her own.

  “I’m going to need to get more wood to keep the fire going,” he said.

  She turned her head in his direction. “The wood is wet. How do you get it to burn?”

  “It needs to be stripped down to where it’s not wet, then it burns, but I think a saw a wood pile under a lean-to. There might be some dry wood there.”

  “What if the people who live here return?” she asked.

  “In this snowstorm that would be doubtful, but from the looks of the place I’d say it’s been deserted for some time,” Tarass said and saw a sadness wash over her, then she shook her head slowly.

  “Of course, this must be Janick’s place.”

  “The name isn’t familiar to me.”

  “It wouldn’t be. Janick and his wife settled into this cottage after you and your family left. He and Sybil were old then, looking for a place where they wouldn’t be bothered and could live their lives in peace. My sisters and I took turns visiting them to make sure they were well and if they needed anything. They were content with each other and a more caring couple than I had ever met.”

  She smiled and Tarass was struck by the way her whole face seemed to light with the smile and how her green eyes even turned brighter.

  “I remember how they looked at each other with such love. How proud he was to admit that his heart belonged to her and always would. How they could always be found holding hands.” She wiped at her eyes to stop tears from falling. “That’s how they were found, holding hands. Willow found them. Sybil had gotten sick and Willow
feared she would not make it. One day she arrived here and found Sybil in bed, Janick sitting in a chair next to the bed, his body slumped over hers and their hands joined. From what Willow could tell they didn’t die long after each other. That’s a strong love to follow each other into death.”

  “Love is nothing but pain and sorrow and best avoided,” Tarass said.

  “How sad for you to believe that.”

  “Not at all. It frees me to live and—”

  “Feel nothing and that’s living in fear,” she finished.

  “I fear nothing!” he snapped.

  “We all fear something,” she said with a shrug, “and in some ways it makes us stronger.” She rested her hand on the table and almost pulled it back, having touched the animal head, but stopped and began to explore it. “Why do you wear this—” She paused, her fingers trying to determine what she touched.

  “Wolf’s head,” he said and while her hand paused, it never left the animal’s head.

  “Why?” she asked again.

  “The fire dwindles,” he said, ignoring her question. “I’m going to get more wood.”

  She stood and slipped on her cloak.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I must see to my needs and so does Thaw,” she said and felt heat stain her cheeks.

  “You will not take long,” he ordered.

  His hand clamped around her arm before she had a chance to respond and he led her to the door, Thaw staying close to her side.

  The wind howled and whipped as if angry and Tarass walked her to a tree near the cottage.

  He took her hand and rested it on the tree. “You will remain here until I come for you.”

  “As you say,” Snow said, having no desire to be caught in the storm alone again.

  “Stay with her,” Tarass ordered, looking down at the pup and Thaw gave a bark and plopped on his rump beside her.

  “I’m going to see if that was a wood pile I saw, then I’ll be right back. It’s only a few steps away. Call out if you need me.”

  “I will,” she said, though saw no reason she would need him. She waited a few moments to make certain he was gone and when she felt Thaw leave her side to see to his duty, she knew it was safe for her to do the same.