Bhaltair’s relief had been short lived when Daileas informed him that Avery was battling the aingidh on her own, and when he’d found her lying still and seemingly lifeless on the ground . . .
He tightened his grip on her hand at the memory, lifting it to press a kiss to her palm.
“My Avery,” he whispered. “My brave, bonnie lass.”
Guilt tore through him as he recalled her initial resistance to helping him. Ye need tae tell her tae return tae her own time, he told himself. She’s already risked her life. This isnae her fight, despite how much ye desire her.
Avery stirred, pulling him from the maelstrom of his thoughts. Her lovely blue eyes flew open, widening as she took him in. She sat up abruptly, her entire body tense.
“Cadha?”
“She’s well,” he said, gently pushing her back down. “Yer magic drained ye of yer strength. The healer said ye need rest—and tae drink this broth.”
He handed her the broth, which she obediently gulped down.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, handing him back the broth, but she didn’t sit back up again. Her gaze raked over him, and she reached up to touch the side of his face, sending a blaze of heat coursing through him. “Are you all right? Did Odhran hurt—”
“I’m well, lass,” he said, smiling at her selflessness. “I’m nae the one resting in bed. Ye are.”
She closed her eyes, her shoulders sinking with relief, before they flew open again.
“The aingidh,” she said. “I used a spell, and I was able to get a name. Glaisne.”
She searched his eyes as if hoping for a shred of recognition, but the name wasn’t familiar to him.
Avery heaved a sigh of disappointment, biting her lip.
“There are some spells I can—”
“On the morrow,” he said firmly. “Allow yerself time tae rest today. I’ll stay with ye.”
“You don’t have to,” she said, though she looked comforted by his words. “I’m sure there are more important things you have to do.”
There was much to be done; he needed to regroup with the men Daileas had found who were willing to fight with him, along with the other men they’d rescued from the dungeons. On the morrow he would form a plan with Daileas and Hamish to take back his castle, to remove his cousin from power and take on Clan Roideach.
But for now, the other men were being tended to by a healer, for dehydration and fatigue. Today was a day for rest and healing for all.
“Right now, this is the most important thing I have tae do,” he said, smiling at the lovely flush that spread across her cheeks at his words. “Ye’re so brave, Avery. Taking on the aingidh again like that, all on yer own.”
“I was terrified,” she confessed with a shudder. “What about you? Were you scared when Odhran took you?”
“No,” he said honestly.
“None of the other macho Scots are around,” she said, giving him a teasing smile. “You can tell me.”
He didn’t know what the word “macho” meant, but he returned her smile.
“I speak the truth,” he said. “I feared more for Cadha’s safety, for ye. I’m glad tae nae have been tortured, aye, but I donnae believe Odhran had it in him. I’ve no doubt that Cormag would have eventually done so.”
Avery went pale at his words. He reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze before continuing.
“My father used tae train both me and Boyd tae deal with fear. When we were still lads, he made us stay in the dungeons for a week. We only had gruel and water for sustenance, and he made certain the guards were cruel tae us—especially tae Boyd, as he was tae be laird and chief.”
“How old were you?” Avery asked, looking horrified.
“I was nearly ten. My brother twelve.”
“You were both so young.”
“Aye. But it taught us bravery. He kent it was possible that a rival clan would one day capture and imprison us. It may seem harsh, but he was raising us tae deal with the brutality of our world. Aye, we were born intae wealth, privilege. But with that privilege comes danger—there are those who will always want what we have. I ken ’tis something Boyd wanted tae protect his own children from. I donnae think he realized he would need protecting the most.”
That familiar guilt paired with grief rose in his chest, and he took a shuddering breath.
“Tell me a good memory,” Avery said suddenly.
“Aye?”
“About your brother,” Avery pressed.
He studied her, realizing that she was trying to distract him from his grief. The lass knew him too well.
“Boyd was brave, the bravest man I kent. But . . . he had a deep fear of hares.”
“Hares?” Avery asked, her lips twitching with amusement.
“Aye,” he said with a chuckle. “He wouldnae even eat them. He didnae like the fact that they can jump. It was the only thing I kent that caused my brother fear.”
They both laughed; Bhaltair shaking his head as he recalled the horror on his brother’s face whenever their father would take them out to hunt hares.
When their laughter subsided, Avery’s eyes turned serious.
“You may not have been scared, Bhaltair, but I was. If anything had happened to you . . .”
Her mouth trembled, distress clouding her features. Wanting to remove that troubled look from her face, he reached out to touch her cheek. He watched as her distress ebbed, replaced by something else. Desire. He recognized it in the depth of those blue eyes, and it brought his own roaring to the surface.
His eyes dropped to her lips, and even as he told himself that he should leave her be, that she needed rest, he was leaning forward until his lips met hers in a searing kiss.
Chapter 17
Heat seized every part of Avery’s body as Bhaltair probed her mouth with his. She moaned, relishing in the feel of his muscular body pressed against hers. He released her lips to place loving kisses along the side of her jaw and down the line of her throat, causing her to arch against him.
“My sweet Avery,” he murmured, moving back to look down at her, his eyes stormy with desire. “I should leave ye be. Ye need rest.”
“Don’t you dare,” she responded, winding her arms around his neck to hold him close against her.
Bhaltair let out a tortured groan, seizing her lips as he murmured, "I’ve ached for ye, sweet Avery.”
His next kiss was more probing, more intense; Avery could hardly breathe as Bhaltair held her close, dominating her mouth with his own. Moisture seeped between her thighs as he again peppered kisses down her throat to her chest, lowering the bodice of her underdress. He seized one aching nipple with his mouth, laving at it with his tongue before he moved to the other, lifting his beautiful eyes to hers.
The very sight of those intense eyes on hers caused even more desire to course through her body. She let out a quiet whimper of protest as he released her to stand, disrobing before her. Her mouth watered at the sight of his nude form; he was even more beautiful than she’d imagined. Well-defined muscles made up the long plain of his torso, leading to wide, tapered thighs and the long length of him that strained toward her. She raised her eyes to his, and a wicked smile spread across his face.
“All for ye, sweet Avery,” he whispered.
He lowered himself to the bed, reaching out to remove her underdress, his hungry eyes sweeping over her naked form.
“Christ, Avery,” he gasped. “Ye’re so verrae bonnie.”
Warmth infused her body at his words, at how he was looking at her, like she was a precious treasure he’d just discovered. Her heart rate quickened, and she arched her body toward him. She ached . . . she needed.
“Please,” she whimpered. “Bhaltair . . .”
“Patience, sweet Avery,” he murmured, giving her a teasing smile. “I need tae taste ye first.”
He moved down her body, kissing every inch of her flesh—her chest, her breasts, the plain of her stomach, the juncture of her thighs. He spread her legs,
his eyes devouring her center, before moving in to taste her with his tongue.
The pleasure hit Avery instantly, and she lifted off the bed with a gasp, sparks of electricity dancing along her flesh as he feasted upon her center, his hands gripping her buttocks.
“So sweet,” he gasped, as she arched and moaned, her pleasure holding her captive, increasing to dizzying heights. Every part of her was attuned to the feel of his mouth on her, insistent and probing, on those strong hands of his massaging her flesh, on the sound of his groans and licks, and her orgasm tore through her with violence, causing her entire body to quake, yet still he didn’t stop, not until her orgasm subsided.
He lifted himself from her body, devouring her with his eyes as she struggled to catch her breath, meeting his fervent gaze. He reached out to grasp her hands, holding them above her head, keeping his eyes on her as he buried himself inside her.
Avery threw her head back and let out a cry as he began to move with powerful thrusts. He leaned down to suckle at the side of her neck as they moved together, and she moaned at the feel of that strong body on hers, the fullness of him inside her.
“My Avery,” he gasped, releasing her neck to pin her with fierce gray eyes. “My lovely Avery.”
His tempo increased, and he reached out to hold her closer, to thrust even harder, his heartbeat thundering against hers as he threw back his head to let out a cry of pleasure, one that matched her own, as their climaxes seized them both.
It took several moments before they caught their breath. Bhaltair pulled her into the crook of his arm, his gaze raking over her with a blend of lingering desire and concern.
“Are ye well? Was I—”
“It was perfect,” Avery whispered, her body still humming with desire.
A relieved smile broke across his handsome face, and he leaned down to press a firm kiss to her mouth.
“I’ve wanted tae do that since ye first came tae my study, furious and refusing tae help me,” he murmured.
“I shouldn’t have—” she began, shame filling her at the memory.
“No. I donnae recall that moment with anger, sweet Avery. Ye were right. This was never yer fight, but ye stayed anyway.”
“I care about Cadha,” she said, her heart warming as she thought of his niece. And I love you. “It was the right thing to do.”
He gazed down at her for a long moment, stroking her hair back, before his expression filled with tumult.
“Avery . . . ” he said, “when I saw ye lying so still on the ground . . . ” He paled and closed his eyes briefly. “Ye were right tae nae want tae help me. And now, ye’ve done enough. I’ll always be grateful tae ye. But ye need tae return tae yer time.”
Anger, disbelief, and hurt coursed through her at his words. Anger won, and she sat up, the blanket slipping from her shoulders as she glared down at him.
“How dare you,” she snapped. “I’ve already told you—I’m not going anywhere until Cadha is safe. Is—is this what you wanted?” she continued, heartbreak making her voice waver. “To sate your desire for me and then send me away?”
Now Bhaltair looked angry, glaring at her as he stood.
“No! Ye mean more tae me than ye realize, Avery. That is why I want tae keep ye safe. I would give my life for ye—and Cadha. I cannae lose anyone else I care for. If returning tae yer time means that aingidh can never put his hands on ye again, and that ye’re safe from harm, then aye. I want ye tae return tae yer own time.”
At his heartfelt words, her anger dissipated. They weren’t a declaration of love, but she’d take what she could get in the time she had with him. After that speech, and the fact that he was standing before her nude, it was difficult to keep arguing with him.
She crawled out of bed to face him, reaching up to touch his face.
“I understand that you want me to be safe. But I’m not leaving. Not yet.”
Not ever, if you asked.
“Avery,” he murmured, his eyes softening as he reached up to caress her hand, his own anger seeming to dissipate. “Yer bravery, yer determination . . . ’tis what I admire the most about ye.”
Avery’s heart swelled; she gave him a teasing smile.
“Is that all?”
He chuckled and reached out to swing her up in his arms. She let out a surprised yelp.
“Oh no, that’s nae all,” he said. “I intend tae show ye just what else I admire about ye . . .”
* * *
Avery awoke just before dawn. She turned on her side, beaming at the sight of Bhaltair sleeping beside her. The man was even more beautiful when he slept. Dark, thick lashes rested on chiseled cheekbones, his full lips were parted, and one muscular arm was wrapped possessively around her waist.
She reached out to touch the side of his face, her heart clenching at his masculine beauty. I love you, Bhaltair. She wondered if love did something to a witch’s magic; she felt thoroughly rejuvenated after her day of rest and night of lovemaking. Now her magic was practically buzzing beneath the surface. She needed to take advantage of the power surging through her. Given that her encounter with the aingidh was fresh in her mind, she should perform a Locator spell to find him.
And she needed to get away from Bhaltair’s addictive presence, before she nudged him awake for another round of his fierce and possessive lovemaking.
Keeping quiet so as to not wake Bhaltair, she slipped into a fresh gown a chambermaid had left for her and reached for the side table where the healer who’d tended to her had placed the strands of hair from the aingidh she’d kept in her gown. The healer must have known the hair was important for her spells, and it relieved Avery that Daileas had sent for a healer familiar with the stiuireadh.
Avery headed out of the chamber. A few men were awake and gathered in the parlor, including Daileas, who gave her a knowing look as she headed out. She wondered with a flush of embarrassment if he knew what had taken place between her and Bhaltair the night before. The entire household must have gleaned that he’d spent the night in her chamber, and she wondered if anyone had heard her. She hadn’t exactly been quiet during the multiple times Bhaltair had driven her to climax.
Face still flaming, she made her way to the nearby patch of forest she used to practice her spells. She found a small clearing and reached down to the sleeve of her gown where she’d carefully tucked the aingidh’s hair. Avery placed the strands down on the ground before her, clearing her mind and taking a deep breath before reciting a Locator spell.
“Nochdaidh mi an aingidheachd seo dhomh.”
She felt the familiar pull of her magic and stretched out her hands. The force of her magic caused the grass and leaves of the trees around her to ripple. But she saw nothing of the aingidh in her mind’s eye.
Avery froze, panic seizing her. While she couldn’t feel the dark presence of the aingidh, she did feel the presence of another witch—one who was close. And it wasn’t Lioslaith’s familiar presence.
Whoever it was, they were in the clearing with her now. She whirled, ready to cast an Offensive spell, and her heart leapt into her throat.
Cadha stood at the edge of the clearing, looking at her with wide eyes, her face ash white. Avery stared at her, wondering why she’d felt the presence of a witch.
And she froze as the realization struck her.
Avery stumbled forward, sinking to the ground before Cadha, taking her hands.
“How much did you see?” she whispered.
“Ev—everything,” Cadha said. “Did ye do that? Make the grass and leaves shake like that?”
“Yes,” Avery said. There was no point denying what she’d seen. “Cadha, I need you to be honest with me. I need you to trust me.”
Cadha went even more white, but she swallowed and offered Avery a shaky nod.
“Can you do what I can do?” Avery pressed. “Make things happen with a command? A thought?”
Cadha closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were filled with tears.
“Aye,” Cadha whisper
ed.
How did I not realize this before? Avery wondered, her pulse racing. So many unanswered questions had led to this moment.
Cadha’s eerie ability to know where she was during hide-and-seek. She often didn’t even have to search for her—she always just seemed to know. Her ability to sense people or animals approaching long before even Avery did. The time when Cadha had seemed to want to tell her something when Bhaltair was imprisoned. This was what she’d wanted to tell her.
And it explained why the aingidh had taken such an interest in her.
She recalled her sister’s letter. One thing to keep in mind—the aingidh often have a weakness, one which pushed them to go dark. Find it and exploit it: it will help you defeat him.
His focus, his weakness, was the power that Cadha possessed, power she suspected affected his future in some adverse way.
Cadha was a stiuireadh.
Chapter 18
“I’ve never told anyone,” Cadha said, her voice quivering. “But I’ve always been able tae do strange things.”
Avery turned to look at Bhaltair, who hovered behind them, his face white with shock.
She had brought Cadha in from the clearing and found Bhaltair in the parlor with Hamish and Daileas. He’d taken one look at her face and seemed to know that whatever she had to discuss with him was grave.
They were now in Bhaltair’s private chamber with Cadha perched on a chair, her hands folded in her lap, her face taut with fear, as if she were confessing to some horrible crime.
“Cadha,” Avery said gently, as Bhaltair remained silent behind her. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve always known about my abilities, and it was still overwhelming when I realized what I could do.”
Cadha swallowed hard and nodded, but her gaze strayed to her uncle, who remained infuriatingly silent. He’d been quiet ever since she’d dropped the bombshell that his niece was a stiuireadh.
Bhaltair's Pledge: Highlander Fate, Lairds of the Isles Book Two Page 10