by Ria Cantrell
Seeing no real reason now to deny him, Kiera said, “Yes, I will marry you for I have fallen in love with you and I don’t ever want to be without your presence.”
Not wanting to sour the moment with a portent of danger that Derek had been feeling on and off all day, Derek said, “I will always be with ye’. Please know that.”
Something told him that perhaps he needed to be wary, but he just pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He was being ridiculous. He was safe now, here in this century, with this giving, beautiful soul who had unlocked the pain and released it to a distant memory. This woman had given him back his life and he never wanted to forget that very fact. She had taught him the most important aspect of being human, and that was to love. He vowed silently, at that moment, that he would only bring love and happiness to her. In the brief time that they had breached the purgatory of his exile, Derek had watched not only their love grow, but his Kiera seemed to blossom before his very eyes. Whatever walls had been erected around her heart had been torn down in their profession of love for one another. Who or whatever hurt had armed his beauty with caution had seemed to have been erased. Kiera did not like talking about her past, no more than he did he supposed, and he decided that the past was where it should be. Now they only had the future to behold and it looked wonderful and promising as love grew between them.
He forced the niggling warning and trepidation in his mind to the dark recesses there, because this was love. This is what he had been saved for. This was what life was about. He felt Kiera drawing him up and he stood, taking her into his arms. “Yer’ sure ye’ want to marry me, knowing what ye’ know about me.”
“All the more reasons why I want to. Yes, I want to marry you. I really want to marry you. I have never been more sure of wanting to marry someone in my life.”
And the fact was, that it was true. Jax was never right for her. Kiera had to wait until the perfect mate was selected by the Fates. This man was more than perfect. He was medieval and different, but he was the best man suited for her. Kiera remembered inviting Jeannie to come to get married at the Keep, but now it seemed she was going to beat her best friend to it.
“Wear this dress when ye’ marry me. Ye’ are so lovely in it.”
She giggled and said, “No, silly. For you have seen me in it. It is bad luck to see a bride in the dress she is going to marry in. The bridegroom is not allowed to see it.”
A sudden frown creased Derek’s brow. He felt a chill of foreboding course through him. There was that warning again. He wished she hadn’t spoken about it. Perhaps he was just being paranoid from all he had been through. Derek did not want to think that anything was ill-fated so he just kissed her and said, “Then wear one like it. Will ye’?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her deeply and he felt blessed for the first time in his life. He forced himself to shake off the malevolent feelings of ill luck and get back to the business of loving his woman.
Kiera felt like they were already married in a way, as their souls seemed to have been joined across the centuries. In the past, she may have not wanted to believe in such a thing, but now, as she settled into the strong arms of a man who by all logic and reason should not have been with her, Kiera knew that the idea of soul-mates was indeed true. Suddenly she looked forward to planning her wedding and she thought that a medieval style ceremony would be just perfect. Sitting to have a bite to eat with him, they talked and dreamed and made plans to spend the rest of their lives together. It was like a blissful dream coming true. Had she been told six months ago that she would be getting married and to a man who had been suspended between centuries, she would have laughed out loud at the notion. Now here she was sitting in a beautiful medieval gown, conjuring ideas for a wedding that bridged time and space.
Weddings were celebrated on a large scale, in Derek’s time, and they usually involved family and friends as well the entire clan to participate; with the feasting and revelry lasting several days. Listening to Kiera’s excited plans showed Derek that things had not changed so much over time. He had never given much thought to taking a wife, and in fact, he was against it vehemently. But this woman; this modern, different woman had broken through the walls of his own heart. He realized he just could not live without her and he could think of nothing better than to wed her. He did not know if it would tempt the Guardians too much to banish him for wedding a woman not of his time, but he did not care. He had felt a distant threat, similar to the one when that little weasel had been to visit his Kiera, but he could not name what it was. He cast it aside as just being cautious from his years of exile and loneliness. No, this was right, he thought, or he would not have been able to return to the land of the living. She was his mate, with or without the ritual was what he had been destined for, perhaps even saved for. He would never leave her now.
*****
Jeanne read Kiera’s email again and she was overjoyed for her best friend. It seemed she had reunited with the man she had fallen in love with and not only that, they were planning on getting married. Jeanne wished she could be there to help with the plans and arrangements, but she could not get more than a couple of weeks off from work. She was sure of one thing, though. She wasn’t going to miss Kiera’s wedding for the world. She smiled, thinking of her thoroughly modern friend suddenly embracing the treasures of the past. Kiera had said that since she was going to marry at the castle, she was planning a medieval themed wedding. At first Jeanne thought the idea was a little hokey, but when she saw the picture of Kiera and Derek together, the medieval thing suddenly seemed perfectly natural. The guy was like a throw back from time. He was ruggedly handsome and was built like a tree. He towered over Kiera and was thickly muscled, but not like some pumped-up-on-steroids gym hound. Something about the guy was natural. He wore his hair long, nearly past his shoulders and Jeanne had to laugh when she thought of Jax and Kiera. Jax always gave the appearance of a clean cut, perfectly groomed preppy and he would not have thought to let his hair touch his collar, let alone have it hang past his shoulders, but as Jeanne studied the picture for more answers about the mysterious man who had won her best friend’s heart, she thought that if anyone could pull off the long hair thing, it was this guy. They looked perfect together. Jeanne had never seen her friend look so happy.
She, Chris and Kiera’s dad were going to fly out for the wedding. Kiera had invited Jeanne and Chris to make it a double wedding, but Jeanne didn’t want to horn in on her friend’s moment. No, she would be a maid of honor and enjoy the happiness that Kiera so deserved.
A few days before Jeanne and Chris were to leave for Scotland, Jeanne had the displeasure of Jackson showing back up at her apartment. She would not let him in even though he persisted in banging on her door. Chris had been working late and she did not want to let Jackson in. He was in another one of his drunken rages. It seemed that when he drank, that fueled his desire to get Kiera back. It also seemed to make him meaner than a snake. Jeanne thought that this had to stop and maybe if he knew that Kiera had truly moved on, he would leave her alone. Opening the door enough to squeeze her way out, she shut the door behind her.
Squaring off her shoulders she faced the raging lunatic before her.
“Look, Jax. You have to leave. You have been harassing me for weeks and Chris isn’t going to take it any longer. He is going to be home any minute, so you need to go.”
“I am not going until you tell me where Kiera is.”
“Jax, it’s over. Kiera has moved on.”
“What’s that mean? That she is sleeping with someone?”
“Jackson. She is…well, she is getting married.”
There, it was out there and now he would have to stop this insane behavior. Instead, a black rage seemed to come over him at that news.
“Married? Who the hell would want her except me? I made her who she is.”
At those self-righteous word Jeanne’s temper flared and she said, “You? You practically destroyed her. I almost didn’t kn
ow her anymore after she had been with you. She lost the luster for life when she was with you. Let her go. She is happy. Don’t you want her to be happy? It’s not like you didn’t have your chance, Jax. You ruined it and you almost ruined her. Move on or whatever you want to do with your life. Leave her alone and move on.”
“She never could learn her place. She had no right to question my comings and goings,” he slurred as the drink or drugs wormed its way into his mind.
“Her place? Jeeze, this isn’t the 14th century, you know. She is a vibrant, smart woman and she didn’t need to become one of your Hampton versions of the ‘Stepford wives’. She was the best thing that ever happened to you and you treated her like crap. I love her and it killed me that you hurt her so much. You know damned well that she didn’t deserve what you did to her. Her place? You sanctimonious little shit…who do you think you are?”
Jeanne didn’t see it coming till Jackson’s fist connected with her jaw. She went sprawling onto her back and Jackson stood over her with a menacing leer.
“Tell me where the little slut is.”
Holding a hand to her throbbing face, it took a moment for the shock to wear off. Jeanne said, “Like hell I will.”
She tried to stand but Jackson kicked her in the ribs. Jeanne cried out in pain and she grabbed hold of the door knob to pull herself up. Jackson grabbed her by the hair and he growled into her face.
“Tell me where she is. I am warning you.”
“I am not afraid of you Jackson.”
Kicking her again, he yanked her to her feet and fisted her hair, pulling it with all his might.
“You are going to regret crossing me, Bitch.”
Jeanne did not want to cry out, because it seemed to give Jackson pleasure in it but the pain searing through her scalp was excruciating. With a flick of his wrist, Jackson knocked Jeanne’s head against the door frame and she almost blacked out from the blow. She had to keep her wits about her and she started to scream, “Someone help me. Help!”
“Shut up, you stupid bitch. Just tell me where she is and all this will end.”
“You can go to hell. I would rather die than tell you where she is. Screw you, Jackson.”
That was the final straw. Jackson’s fist slammed into her again and this time, blackness swirled behind her eyes. Jeanne crumpled to the floor before him. With a final kick to her side, Jackson fled, just as a neighbor came out into the hallway to see what the commotion was.
“Oh my God. Someone call the police.”
Those were the last words Jeanne coherently heard before she succumbed to oblivion.
When she came too, there was a policeman standing over her and paramedics taking readings on her. Chris was behind the paramedic looking panicked. When he saw her coming to, he said, “Honey, are you alright?”
Jeanne tried to work her jaw but it seemed to not move of its own accord and her mouth felt swollen. Pain flashed in her head and tears silently began to leak from her eyes.
The cop was questioning the neighbor who had found her. Jeanne thought she heard the cop ask if Chris had done this to her. Through the fog of pain, Jeanne shook her head and said one word, “Jax”.
“Shit, Jackson Samms. I should have known. I wouldn’t hurt my fiancé. I love her. This maniac has been bothering us for weeks.”
“Who is he? Why haven’t you had a restraining order put against him if he has been harassing you?”
“His name is Jackson Samms. His family is of old money, if you get my drift. He used to date Jeanne’s friend. He has been hounding us to tell him where she is. We were going to be leaving for Scotland in a few days for her wedding.”
“Can you tell me where he lives?”
“Hell yeah! We had been there lots of times before they broke up. He should be easy to find. I want that bastard arrested.”
Jeanne tried to talk again, but couldn’t. The paramedics were saying they were going to take her to the hospital to get her checked over. She protested and murmured that she was alright.
Chris said, “No, baby. He hurt you pretty badly. Let’s just make sure everything is okay. I’ll be right there with you.”
Jeanne touched her swollen jaw. Damn it…that was going to look bad in the wedding pictures. She was just glad that Jackson did not know about the wedding being in a couple of weeks. As they loaded her onto a stretcher, the paramedics were telling her she was going to be alright. She prayed Jackson would not find Kiera for she was certain he would do far worse to Kiera than what he had just done to her if he had the opportunity.
*****
Jackson hid around the corner of the apartment hallway. He had to wait until the cops had vacated the premises. Scotland…the little whore was in Scotland. That was what he heard Chris say. Scotland was just the place for him to hide out for a while until this would all blow over. Yes, he would make his plans right away. He still had plenty of dough to cover the trip. His savings had depleted some, what with his recreational medicinal needs lately, but as soon as he got that stupid slut back, his family would open their pockets up to him again. They had pretty much cut him off after Kiera had left him and if he showed them he got her back, they would think he was back on track with his life and all would be forgiven. Now he just had to lay low. They would be looking for him because of what that little bitch made him do. Yes, Scotland would be the perfect place to hide out for a while.
Chapter 36
Kiera shut her laptop. Derek noticed that she looked upset after reading something on the screen of the computer. He did not have a lot of experience with that yet, but he knew it was another instrument that people used to communicate with each other. He spent some time learning how to use it and he was still filled with awe at what that contraption could do. He came behind her, and lifting the hair from the back of her neck, he kissed her there.
“Is something amiss, my love?”
“Yeah. Jeanne had to go to the hospital. She said she was mugged.”
“Mugged? I am afraid I havena’ learned that word yet.”
“Oh mugged means, like robbed. Accosted…”
“And hospital is a place where people go when they are robbed?”
Despite the dire news from her friend, Kiera could not help but smile.
“No, silly. A hospital is where they treat sick people or injured people. My friend got hurt badly. Someone beat her up, attacked her and she went to the hospital for help.”
A look of disdain marred Derek’s face. The idea of hurting a woman was suddenly so distasteful to him. He felt a pull of remorse remembering how he had stood by and allowed his brother to abuse his sister. He wished he could apologize to her now, but she would have been gone a long time. He breathed in a silent prayer begging for her forgiveness. While he never hit a woman, he had done nothing to prevent his brother from doing so. Kiera turned and looked back at him and saw that he had slipped into some sort of memory from his past. “What is it? Are you alright?”
“Oh, Aye. I was just thinking about my sister.”
“Oh.”
Kiera knew it must have been hard for Derek to realize that those people in his life could not be living any longer. She felt sadness for her beloved Highland warrior, knowing there was nothing she could do to ease that loss for him. Well mostly nothing. Circling him with her arms, she said, “I know it is hard for you to be in this time…and to leave them so far behind in the past. I wish there was something I could do to make it better for you.”
As he breathed in her scent and felt the strength of her love, he sighed. It was time he told her about some of his history. He said, “I didna’ protect my sister. She was a beautiful woman who was kind and sweet, but I let my brother abuse her. I didna’ defend her. I was a coward. Now hearing about yer’ friend, it makes me sick to think of the coward who hurt her. There is no honor in hurting a woman.”
“I would guess that if she could, your sister would forgive you. You said your brother was a bad sort of dude.”
“Bad dude�
��yes, he was a bad dude. He was more than bad. He had become twisted in a way that became a black poison within him. I should have protected my sister…and now it is too late to beg her to forgive me.”
“Your sister, as you said, was a kind person, she would not hold malice toward you. Forgive yourself, now, sweetheart. It is long past and you have been given a second chance to be the man you were always destined to be. You are a good man, Derek Campbell. I would not marry you if you were not.”
“If I am good, it is because of ye’. Ye’ have changed me, beautiful one.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have changed yourself. You are a good person. You don’t just become good, Derek. It had to be in you all the time. You just needed the right person to nurture that in you.”
He kissed her. She was right. She had nurtured it in him. Love had been elusive because he had lost so much at such a young age. It had been easier to follow Roderick’s patterns than to form his own and let his heart be open to heartache again. Kiera was the woman to open his wounds only to heal them. Squeezing her a little tighter, but careful not to hurt her, for he knew he was so much bigger than she was, he said, “I am sorry yer’ friend is hurt. I hope she will be better by the wedding in a few weeks.”
“Oh, yeah, she will be fine. She has some nasty bruises, but she will be alright.”
“Good. And ye’…ye’ are alright?”
“I am more than alright, you silly, silly man. I am so happy that I almost can’t contain it. I am sorry that you are not with the people of your time, but I am selfish. I am so happy that you are here with me. We will be a family, Derek.”
“Yes. We will. I aim to fill these walls with our bairns.”
Kiera rubbed her cheek against his chest. She loved his scent and she murmured, “Well, you won’t have to wait long, I think, for that.”