The MacLomain Series: Later Years - a Scottish Time Travel Romance Boxed Set

by Sky Purington

  Jackie shook her head. “I didn’t want to continue living like that.” She sighed. "But as it turns out, it’s been a hard mold to break.”

  Darach’s eyes held hers for a long moment before he nodded. “’Tis a good reason to end a betrothal.”

  “I never should have agreed to it to begin with,” she mumbled.

  “Aye,” Darach murmured. “It seems we’ve both done things for the wrong reasons.”

  Her brows perked. “I don’t think what you did was for the wrong reason. You kissed her, and I assume slept with her, so thought you should marry her. That’s honorable, especially in this day and age. Sounds like you were trying to do the right thing.”

  Darach shrugged and offered no response. When he rested his arm on the ledge by her foot, her eyes fell to the tattoos wrapped around his bicep and forearm. Amazed she had shared so much and eager to take the focus off of her, she nodded at them. “What’s up with your tattoos? It makes sense that Rònan has them because, well, he’s him.” She grinned. “Yours don’t really fit a medieval Scotsman.”

  Darach glanced at his arm and grinned. “You dinnae want to know the reason behind them.”

  She sat forward and wrapped her arms around bent knees. “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

  “Aye?”

  “Yes.”

  Darach sighed. “’Tis nothing to be proud of.”

  Caught by the sheepish octave of his voice, the corner of her lip turned up. “Now you have to tell me. Why’d you do it?”

  “To keep a lass,” he murmured softly.

  “What?” She leaned closer. “I didn’t quite catch that.”

  “Och.” Darach shook his head and met her eyes. “I did it to keep a lass.”

  “The one you were meant to marry?”

  His brows flew together, and he frowned. “Nay.” Then he sighed again. “To keep one who had her eye on my cousin.”

  “Which one?”

  Because seriously, none of his cousins were as good looking as him. At least not in her opinion.

  “Rònan,” he grumbled. “He has a way with lasses. Dragon blood and all.”

  Jackie bit back a smile. “Are you serious?”

  His frown deepened. “Aye, lass.”

  “So you ended a betrothal to one woman only to tattoo yourself to gain the attention of another?” Jackie smirked. “For real?”

  “Aye, ‘twas real.” He gestured at his arm. “Obviously.”

  “You know that’s not what I meant.” She swung around until she sat next to him. “I’m surprised you did something like that to win over a girl.”

  “’Twas wrong that she ended up with him considering our history,” he retaliated.

  The minute he said it, she knew he regretted it. “And what was your history?”

  “It doesnae matter,” he muttered.

  When he started to stand, she grabbed his hand and shook her head. “Obviously, it does. Who was she to you?”

  Darach scowled and sat back. “Like I said, it doesnae matter.”

  “God, stop it.” She tilted her head until their eyes met. “If we’re going to be friends, I’d like to think we can be honest with one another.”

  Darach started to talk then clamped his mouth shut. So she squeezed his hand and propped her brows. “I won’t judge you any more than I hope you judged me.”

  “Yet I didn’t learn all that much about you,” he mentioned. “When I would like to know more.”

  “And you will,” she assured. “Once you tell me what happened.”

  “’Twas just a wee bit of confusion that Rònan and I have since worked out.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I’m listening.”

  “Clearly.”

  “Just tell me. Please.” Jackie narrowed her eyes. “Who was she?”

  He seemed to rally his courage before he met her eyes. “’Twas a lass who reminded me of someone I often dreamt about.”

  “All right. I suppose I get that.” She shook her head. “Why didn’t you want to tell me?”

  His eyes held hers for a long moment. He was holding something back.

  “What is it?” she murmured.

  When his eyes dropped to her lips, she worked to keep her breathing steady. What had she been thinking when she moved so close to him? This couldn’t happen. They could not happen. She refused to risk his life. But damn, it was hard when everything inside her screamed to close the distance.

  To kiss him again.

  Just one more time.

  “Och, lass,” he whispered before he dragged his eyes away and stood. “If ‘tis friendship you want, then ‘tis friendship I will give.”

  Friendship.

  Right.

  “And as your friend, allow me to teach you how to fight.” He held out his hand. “You need to know how to protect yourself.”

  He was changing the subject. But considering what he offered, she decided that was okay for now. So she let him pull her up. “I thought you didn’t want to train me. What changed?”

  “My perspective,” he said. “I was wrong for avoiding this. It only makes sense that you learn how to defend yourself.”

  She wondered if it had anything to do with him knowing she was sick. She wasn’t fooling herself after what Grant had shared.

  Everyone knew she was dying.

  Maybe this was Darach’s way of keeping her around a little longer.

  “The first thing you should do before engaging anyone in battle is be aware of your surroundings,” he said. “What’s near you. A tree? Bushes? Slick surfaces? Rock ledges? All will matter as you begin to move.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they can be used against you as easily as you can use them against the enemy. Say you’re fighting at dawn.” He gestured at a patch of grass. “’Tis likely dew will make that slippery. Beware of such when fighting. For beginners like you, avoid it at all cost. For seasoned warriors like myself, I’d purposefully use it because I fight just as well on difficult surfaces. Therefore, I often lure my opponents to those areas to give me more of an advantage.”

  “That makes sense.” Jackie nodded. “So no treacherous surfaces for me then.” Her eyes went to the pine. “What about trees, shrubs and rock ledges?”

  “If ‘tis a sunny day, any tall object can act as a barrier against direct sunlight. If the sun’s at your back, keep the tree there too. Make sure the enemy can see you well and then shift. The light will blind them, and that’s more than enough time to drive your blade home.”

  “True,” she said. “What about bushes and ledges?”

  “Bushes can hurt. Drive your enemy back into one, and you’ve afforded yourself another opportunity to injure them,” he said. “As to rock ledges and walls, never let yourself get cornered on or against one. Where I would draw them there to kill them or drive them over the edge, it would be a mistake for you to try the same.”

  Jackie ignored the fact she was heading toward death anyway and kept his advice in mind. Her eyes widened when he tore off a strip of his plaid.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  “I’m working on it,” she said honestly.

  “May I cover your eyes?”

  “But I thought you were going to teach me how to fight?”

  “I am.”

  She eyed the fabric and shrugged. “All right, I suppose.”

  “The next thing you need to learn is how to become aware of your surroundings without the use of sight.” He stepped around her and tied the strip over her eyes. “Everything counts in battle and considering you’re dealing with magic, you never know where you’ll end up.”

  “Okay,” she murmured, overly aware that he still stood close behind her.

  “Dinnae speak but listen. Become aware of every sound. The wind and what direction it comes from. Where there might be water. Is it trickling like a stream or rushing like a river? Are waves lapping or crashing in a loch or ocean?” He shifted away. “Pay attention to the sound of my footsteps. Wha
t am I walking on? Rock, dried pine needles, leaves or broken twigs. All can help you locate my position.”

  “Listen to where my voice comes from,” he continued from somewhere off to her right. “Is the wind carrying it away from you so I might be closer than I seem?” He spoke from her left. “Or does the wind carry it to you and I’m further than I seem?”

  “’Tis crucial that you pay attention to every little detail,” he continued. “There’s nothing more effective than tracking your enemies as you fight. It not only keeps you safer but gives you the element of surprise. You can plan how you’re going to attack them while fighting another. The more practiced you become, the more lethal.”

  Though tempted to say it sounded complicated, she wanted to learn. That meant being a good student. So she nodded. “Got it.”

  “Tell me, have you ever felt the presence of someone without actually seeing them?” he asked, his voice a ways out.

  “Like when someone stands too close behind me in line?”

  “Exactly like that,” he replied. “Honing that skill can make you a great warrior. The air around you becomes displaced when someone’s near you. Though you dinnae realize it, there’s a slight temperature change. On some level, you pick it up. ‘Tis the feeling you get when the hair seems to stand up on the back of your neck. Or when gooseflesh rises on your skin.”

  “Oh wow, okay,” she murmured. “Interesting.”

  “Now do what I’ve taught you,” he said. “Focus on your surroundings.”

  “Okay.” Though she wore a blindfold, she still closed her eyes. Funny how unaware of everything she actually was considering she’d been here for a while. So she went absolutely still and started to focus on wind, sound, and sensation.

  “I still feel the warmth of the sun on my face and know it’s setting in the west. That means the wind is out of the north,” she murmured. “Though there’s a pine nearby I didn’t realize there were several more in the eastern corner of this glade. They have a distinct sound. Not the rustling of leaves but more of a swish when the needles rub together.”

  Jackie focused more intently. “The crash of waves is louder, so the wind is increasing.” She cocked her head. “So is the whistling in the cave.” Head tilted back, she inhaled deeply. “The air is growing more oppressive, the sea salt thicker. I’d guess inclement weather is coming in.”

  No sooner did she say it when a distant rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. Jackie smiled. She could do this. Excited, she focused even harder. “There’s tall, dry grass somewhere. So dry. It almost crackles as it bends in the wind.”

  She was about to say more but became aware of something else.

  A slight shift in the air around her.

  Heat.

  A presence in front of her that wasn’t there before.

  Gooseflesh rose as she reached out and made contact with a hard chest.

  Darach.

  “I never even heard you approach,” she whispered. Maybe she wasn’t so good at this after all.

  Half a breath later, warm, weapon-roughed hands cupped the sides of her neck, and his lips were on hers. Though she knew she should pull away, it was impossible. It was the kiss back in New Hampshire all over again but a hundred times more intense. Maybe because she was so in-tuned with everything right now or simply because he kissed so damn well.

  When he slanted his lips more firmly over hers, and the kiss deepened, she groaned. He tasted so good as his tongue twisted around hers and the kiss intensified. Just when she was thoroughly drowning in it, he pulled away.

  Startled, she tore off her blindfold.

  Both breathed harshly as their eyes connected.

  “I’m sorry, lass,” he whispered, his brogue thickening. “Ye were just so bloody tempting.”

  Before she could respond, he turned away. “If you’d rather Heidrek teach you at this point, I ken.”

  Get upset. Agree. Push him away. How could they ever be friends if this sort of thing kept happening? How could she keep him safe?

  But if so many years of education had taught her nothing else, it was how to spot a great teacher. And Darach definitely was. So instead of saying what she should, Jackie said the opposite. “I want you to keep touching...I mean teaching me,” she stuttered and shook her head. Hell.

  “Then I will,” he said softly. He hesitated a long moment before he turned and his eyes met hers. “But only under one condition.”

  “What’s that?” she whispered, trying to find her voice.

  “That you know the truth.”

  Chills raced up her spine. “What truth?”

  “One that might make you change your mind about me,” he said. “Especially considering you desire nothing more than friendship.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Just tell me, Darach.”

  His eyes held hers for a long moment before he spoke.

  “You are the reason I broke off my engagement,” he said softly. “And you’re the reason I got my tattoos.”

  Chapter Eight

  “I DON’T UNDERSTAND,” Jackie said. “Those things happened when you were young.”

  Darach was about to respond when Erin telepathically called out, “Hey, you two. Grant sent me. A storm’s coming. You need to return.”

  “We’ll be right there,” Jackie replied, her eyes still locked on his. “What are you talking about, Darach? You didn’t know me then.”

  “Nay, now,” Rònan said as he joined Erin. “The storm can affect magic. You’re only safest in the main glade.”

  Troubled, Darach’s eyes shot to the sky before they returned to her. “Come, lass. We need to go.”

  She might want answers but knew better than to doubt Grant. “Then talk as we walk because I deserve an explanation.”

  “Aye,” he agreed as they headed for Erin and Rònan. The last thing he wanted to do was speak of this in front of his cousin. “But mayhap ‘tis best left for when we’re alone?”

  “No, now.” She nodded at them. “Thanks for coming to get us.”

  He knew she was upset. That she felt like she had been lied to. Which, in a vague sense, she had been.

  “Sure.” Erin’s eyes narrowed between Jackie and Darach. “Everything okay?”

  “Yes.” Jackie kept walking. “Darach and I just need to talk.”

  “Okay,” Erin said carefully. “Want us to hang back?”

  “Nope,” Jackie said at the same time Darach said, “Aye.”

  Rònan’s brows perked. “Mayhap we should.”

  “No.” Jackie shook her head. “Erin’s my best friend so she can hear whatever Darach has to say.” Her eyes went to Rònan. “It kind of sounds like you should hear this too.”

  Jackie might come across as delicate and soft-spoken most of the time, but right now she was anything but. As he suspected, beneath her tempered façade lay another lass entirely. One determined to take control of her own life. One who was angry and had become very good at hiding it.

  He understood that more than most.

  So as they walked, he laid his heart on the line. “I’ve been dreaming about you for years, Jackie. Since I was old enough to desire a lass.”

  She stopped and turned wide eyes his way. “What do you mean, dreaming about me? Like someone who reminds you of me?”

  “Nay.” He shook head. “’Twas verra much you.” Though tempted to remain vague, he just couldn’t do it when pinned beneath her curious gaze. “There were so many dreams. Some were snippets of places I dinnae ken. Others were moments here on Scottish soil. Then there were different dreams altogether.” He cleared his throat. “More intimate ones.”

  “Och,” Rònan said under his breath. “Mayhap we should give them their privacy, after all, Erin.”

  Erin put a hand on Rònan’s arm and shook her head.

  Jackie cocked a brow at Darach. “How intimate?”

  “A kiss...or two...” He sighed. “Mayhap several. But nothing more. We never laid together.”

  Jackie pressed her
lips together. “So what’s this got to do with you breaking off your betrothal then tattooing your arm to steal back a girl from Rònan?”

  Rònan muttered something indiscernible.

  Darach shook his head, his frustration suddenly rising. He didn’t like laying bare something he had kept close to his heart for such a long time. And though he knew full well she didn’t deserve his frustration, he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

  “Have ye any idea what it feels like to dream of a stranger for so long? To taste a lass’s lips but wish it were another’s? To feel her skin and wish it were another’s? To want someone so bloody much knowing she can never be yers?” He frowned and continued walking as he tossed over his shoulder, “I broke off my engagement because she wasnae ye. And I disliked Rònan because he stole a lass that reminded me of ye.”

  Always aware of the air shifting around him, he knew they were all frozen in place, stunned. So be it. He was tired of the lies. Tired of keeping secrets.

  “Bloody hell, Cousin.” Rònan strode after him.

  Though the lasses soon followed, they hung back.

  “You should have said something,” his cousin grumbled as he joined him. “’Twould have made things so much clearer. I never would have...”

  Darach cut him off. “Of course, you would have. We were young.” He kept scowling, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. “Nothing I said back then would have made a difference. You took what you wanted.”

  “But I never would have,” Rònan started.

  “Aye, ye would,” Darach interrupted and spun on him, eyes narrowed. “Ye thought nothing of others but only of yerself. If it were otherwise, ye would have questioned my tattoos.”

  “Guys?” Erin said, her voice distressed.

  “Ye got the bloody lass back,” Rònan said. “So why are ye still upset?”

  Darach came nose to nose. “Because ye felt the need to take her, to begin with.”

  Erin’s voice grew a little more intense. “Um, guys?”

  “I didnae feel a need. Ye all but pushed her at me!” If one thing always held true, Rònan could only repress his dragon for so long. He blinked once, twice, before his eyes started to glow and the dragon tried to surface.