TEMPTATION OF A HIGHLAND SCOUNDREL
HIGHLAND WARRIORS BOOK 2
SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
CONTENTS
Praise for Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel
Mini Excerpt
A Personal Note to Readers
Quote
The Legacy of the Dreagan Stones
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Sneak peek - Seduction of a Highland Warrior
First Chapter - Seduction of a Highland Warrior
About the Author
Connect with Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Also by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Copyright 2011 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Copyright 2019 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
www.welfonder.com
Cover Design by JennJ Designs
www.jennjdesigns.com
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Blurb
Highland Warriors
Three fierce warriors in a battle only one can win … three proud women sworn to end the bloodshed … an exciting Scottish medieval trilogy!
Since the oldest days of Highland memory, the Glen of Many Legends has been drenched by the blood of three clans who claim the glen as their own. The warrior chieftains are bold and powerful, each refusing to yield land held for centuries. Unbeknownst to them, three determined lasses are about to unite to end the feud and return peace to their cherished glen. But when their plan takes them from battlefield to bedchamber, neither laird nor lass will escape the blaze of passion…
* * *
Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel
Highland Warriors Book 2
Despite an official peace, old conflicts smolder in the Glen of Many Legends. Kendrew ‘the Wild’ Mackintosh, chieftain of his clan, is famed as both a hot-blooded warrior and a sensual lover. He has no intention of settling down . . . until he kisses a forbidden beauty whose passion matches his own.
Highborn and gently raised, Lady Isobel Cameron has long harbored a secret fascination for the fearless, charismatic Mackintosh—even though her brother is his sworn enemy. When destiny draws them together for one night, she can’t resist him and surrenders to his seductive touch. But soon their deepening desire becomes a fight for survival. A deadly new threat has come to the Glen, and Kendrew and Isobel must learn to trust one another—or pay the ultimate price.
* * *
Enjoy the other two books in Highland Warriors…
Sins of a Highland Devil ~ Available Now
Seduction of a Highland Warrior ~ Coming soon
and
Once Upon a Highland Christmas (series-related holiday novella) ~ Coming soon
Praise for Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel
Top Pick ~ 4.5 Stars ~ K.I.S.S Hero Award
“Welfonder’s second installment in the Highland Warriors trilogy is even better than the first! This finely crafted, highly emotional romance is populated by heroes whose lives are defined by the concept of honor and strong-willed heroines who don't accept surrender as a possibility. Intricately woven into history and legends is a sensual love story. An incredible read.”
~ RT Book Reviews
“Kendrew is quite the hero! Readers will love his rough ways, as much as they will love Isobel’s fire and spirit … an enchanting mix of romance, history, and a dash of the paranormal.” ~ RomRevToday.com
“This series fulfills all of my Scottish historical romance requirements … fierce men with feisty women, magic everywhere, and the amazing landscape of Scotland. Welfonder is able to place the reader in Scotland with such accuracy you feel the mist on your face and see the men in kilts standing on the hillside embracing the women they love.” ~ TheReadingReviewer.com
“The sexual tension between Isobel and Kendrew is off the charts. I also loved how they learned to believe in their love and each other.” ~ TheBookGirl.net
“Sizzling … This story was magical … I look forward to reading the next book in the series.” ~ SeducedByABook.com
“Knee weakening romance … For anyone who enjoys watching two stubborn and strong-willed individuals losing themselves to love.” ~ TheFictionEnthusiast.com
“A true treasure … Few writers can bring history to life like Sue-Ellen Welfonder.” ~ Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author
Praise for Sue-Ellen Welfonder
“With each book Welfonder reinforces her well-deserved reputation as one of the finest writers of Scottish romance.” ~ RT Book Reviews
“Welfonder takes the reader away from the mundane and gives her an emotional journey that floods the senses and makes the heart pound.” ~ Long and Short Reviews
“Welfonder weaves ancient histories, legends, and fascinating lore into sensual Highlander romance.” ~ Writers and Readers
“Welfonder’s love of Scotland shines on every page.” ~ Romantic Times
“Welfonder writes characters boldly and as a reader I am drawn to them. As for her settings, nobody does it better. She writes Scotland as only a person who has walked the land and left a piece of herself there which she truly has. Any Sue-Ellen Welfonder book will transport you to Scotland and be an excellent read!” ~ SimplyStacie.net
“Welfonder writes great tales of passion and adventure.” ~ Romance Reviews Magazine
“Welfonder knows all the best ingredients for the perfect Highland romance.” ~ A Romance Review
“Sue-Ellen Welfonder books are like good friends...you’ll laugh with them, cry with them, dream with them and keep them with you always!” ~ Amazon
Mini Excerpt
A Lady Succumbs…
“Sweet, bonnie lass.” He looked at her, his eyes alight with a bold recklessness that made her pulse leap.
She could feel his masculinity wrapping round her, dark and intimate. Her senses reeled. Delicious tingles stirred low in her belly, warming and exciting her.
His smile turned wicked. “Are you one of Odin’s handmaidens, come down from Valhalla to tempt me?” His tone was teasing, the words bold. “If so I am yours.”
“I-” She blinked, nerves stealing her tongue.
He grinned, stepping closer. “Say you are mine.”
She nodded, stunning by her daring.
“You take my breath.” His voice was low and deep, full of appreciation. “I knew this would be a Midsummer Eve like no other.”
Dedication
With love and so many fond memor
ies to Gerlinde Huber, dear and loyal friend of a lifetime, best-ever travel companion, pillar of strength through my worst days and, so often, the first to share my smiles in the good times.
If I could, I’d turn back the clock to our Munich years, so full of joy and laughter. Kino nights and dinner at ‘our’ Greek restaurant, browsing the Viktualienmarkt, drinking hot mulled wine on snowy nights at the Christkindlmarkt, girlfriend getaways to London, Dublin, Athens, Brussels, Vienna, and so many more shared destinations.
Always, you were there. And I know you always will be, wherever the road yet takes us. I love you dearly and am blessed to call you friend.
Acknowledgement
Much love and thanks to my very handsome husband, Manfred, who shields me from all ills. Valiant as a medieval warrior, he’s my real-life hero.
Also in loving memory of my little dog, Em. How I miss his cuddles, tail wags, sloppy wet kisses, our long walks and even how he’d go bonkers at just a glimpse of the mail truck. The world’s oceans couldn’t hold my love for him – or the tears I’ve shed over his loss.
And the whole of my heart to Em’s best buddy: my writer cat Snuggles who I also love so much. He gives the best head-bonks, has the sweetest voice, and faithfully wakes me in the small hours for one-on-one quality time. Little man, you are my world.
A Personal Note to Readers
Please note this is a work of fiction and not meant to reflect cold, hard reality. The following pages contain elements of fantasy such as myth and legend, curses, magic, standing stones, ghosts, enchanted beasties, ancients who practice the old ways, etc. A suspension of belief is therefore required. As this is a romance novel, there is also explicit sex. As a romance novel written by me, it does not contain the F-word or other profanity. It does include bold Highland warriors, fierce Vikings, bloody medieval battles, strong-willed lasses, and a breathtaking Scottish setting that is one of my all-time favorites. Some places are written as enchanted, locations where unusual things can happen. That’s because I perceive them so. Above all, this story is filled with love for Scotland, Highlanders, the far North and all things Viking, and animals, too. The real world won’t be found in this book’s pages, only a reflection of how I wish the world could be. I hope you’ll enjoy spending time there.
Wishing you Highland magic,
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
(aka Allie Mackay)
Quote
“A quick laugh serves a warrior as well as the sharpest sword.” ~ Kendrew ‘the Wild’ Mackintosh, descendant of Berserkers, lover of battles and women, Clan Chieftain and Laird of Castle Nought
The Legacy of the Dreagan Stones
Many tales are told of a wild and untamed vale deep in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Protected by high, rocky crags, blessed with rolling heather moors, and kissed by soft mist and the silver sheen of the sea, this fair place is known as the Glen of Many Legends. The name is well earned because the glen is steeped in myth and lore.
Since days beyond counting, the glen has been prized as a place that stirs the spirit and wakens a sense of wonder in all who tread this sylvan landscape. Three clans - MacDonalds, Camerons, and Mackintoshes - call the glen home. These clans feuded in the past but now share the vale grudgingly, biding the strictures of a recent truce.
Each clan believes that their corner of the glen is the finest.
Clan Mackintosh boasts that their holding is more.
They speak true for their rugged, upland territory is home to the dreagan stones.
Strange outcroppings that litter the rough ground beneath Castle Nought, the forbidding Mackintosh stronghold that rises almost seamlessly from the bleak, rock-bound cliffs that edge the glen’s northernmost boundary.
No one knows the true origins of the dreagan stones.
Those of a fearful nature would rather not know.
Clan Mackintosh, ever proud of their fierceness, accepts several possibilities….
As odd things do happen on Mackintosh land, especially on nights of dark, impenetrable mist, it is generally believed that the unusual rock formations are sleeping dreagans. Dragons turned to stone, but able to come to life and wreak terror if they wish to do so.
Others claim the stones aren’t just frozen dreagans, but also ancient warriors who were once the dreagans’ masters. These were fearless men who protected the glen in a time when the world was young, but who were betrayed when one in their number was turned by greed, thereby inviting annihilation by evil powers stronger than any mortal men.
Some tales are even more chilling.
Graybeards who have lived long enough to be wise in such matters, insist that the red-eyed glance of a stony-scaled dreagan marks a soul for death.
The dreagan stones are also known to scream. The sound is more like a roar and on black, moonless nights, these chilling cries have been known to strike terror in the hearts of bold and courageous men. On such nights in this cold, inhospitable corner of the glen, even something as innocuous as a curl of mist holds menace.
Kendrew Mackintosh, clan chief, is proud of this legacy.
Dreagans do lie beneath the dreagan rocks.
At least, clan legend claims it is so.
Those tales say that one blast of a dreagan’s fiery breath could melt Kendrew’s formidable war ax in his hand. Or that a single swipe from the creature’s stony, razor-sharp claws could cut down a score of mailed warriors. Kendrew’s loudest, most fierce battle cry would be like the chirp of a sparrow next to the hill-shaking roar of a dreagan.
Now some whisper the beasts are stirring.
These tale spinners suspect the dreagans resent the fragile peace that has descended on the glen. Clan Mackintosh, after all, has always been a warring tribe. Mercy and quiet living runs against their heated nature and unquenchable thirst for battle and bloodletting.
If suchlike is true, Kendrew would welcome the dreagans’ unrest.
He’s already noticed something afoot.
Whatever the cause, the nightly rattle of shifting stones makes his pulse quicken. And the eerie growls heard on the wind call to his wild nature. He, too, is restless. Like the dreagans, he’d rather stir trouble than pace his keep like a caged beast.
A man was born to fight, not lay idle.
He needn’t worry because tragedy is about to strike, giving him ample cause to swing Blood Drinker, his huge war ax. Only along with sword-wielding foemen and stony-backed, fire-breathing dreagans, he’ll be fighting a greater challenge than he would’ve believed.
His opponent is a woman.
And their battle begins in the shadow of the dreagan stones.
Chapter 1
Castle Haven - The Glen of Many Legends - Midsummer Eve 1397
“Do you believe Kendrew Mackintosh dances naked on the dreagan stones?”
Lady Isobel Cameron glanced across the well-appointed bedchamber at her good-sister and, much as she tried, couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. Her heart knocked wildly at her daring. Especially when Lady Catriona’s reaction was to sit up straighter in her massive, four-postered bed. She also pinned Isobel with a look that held more than a hint of disapproval. Worse, there was a flicker of sympathy in the depths of her dark blue eyes.
Isobel lifted her chin, pretending not to see.
Pity was the last thing she wanted.
Her heart was set on the Mackintosh chieftain and had been for some while – as Catriona well knew.
It’d been her plan and not Isobel’s, that the two of them and Kendrew’s sister, Lady Marjory, should each seduce and wed a man from one of the other glen clans. Only so could true peace be held.
Or so they’d agreed the previous autumn, in the bloody aftermath of the trial by combat. A battle to the death, ordered by the King to decide which of the three clans should be granted overlordship. When the fighting ended, the three warriors chieftains were still on their feet, their weapons held fast in their hands.
In his well-meant benevolence, King Robert III declared a t
ruce.
He’d presented each chieftain with a charter for land the clans’ already saw as their own. And he’d left them with a not too subtle warning that any further unrest would result in severest punishment.
Banishment to a distant Hebridean isle was just one threat that – still – hung over the heads of every man, woman, and child of the glen.
No living soul in the Glen of Many Legends would risk such a fate.
Yet the men of the clans were quickly angered, their tempers easily roused.
Keeping peace fell to the women.
Catriona was now wed to Isobel’s brother, James, clan chief of the Camerons.
It seemed a blessed union.
Isobel was meant to be the next bride.
And on the day the three women made their pact, she’d chosen Kendrew. What she hadn’t done was tell her friends how much she secretly desired him. His wildness excited her, his adherence to ancient Norse ways calling to her own Viking blood. A legacy she was proud of and that her own clan largely ignored, much to her sorrow.
Only Isobel’s heart quickened at the thought of distant northern lands full of cold wind, ice, and endless winters. She alone held a soft spot for the fearless, sea-faring people who, legend claimed, gave one of their most beautiful young noblewomen as a bride to a distant Cameron chieftain. A war prize and peace offering, she’d forever sealed the clan’s irrevocable bond with the pagan North.
Isobel felt drawn to that legacy.
So Kendrew, who often wore a bearskin thrown over his broad shoulders and favored a Viking war ax to a sword, fascinated her.
He flaunted his Nordic ancestry.
Isobel admired him.
Unfortunately, the attraction wasn’t mutual.
Isobel brushed at her sleeve, willing her annoyance to fade. Unfortunately, she failed. Her wilder side, the part of her no one suspected existed, swirled and raged inside her, demanding attention.
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