Embrace the Highland Warrior

by Anita Clenney

  “Go to hell, MacBain.”

  “You were sent to protect her,” Cody growled. “Not sleep with her.”

  “You were sent to protect me?” Shay shook her head in disbelief.

  “I’m sorry, Shay. Marcas and Lachlan asked me to keep an eye on you. I didn’t mean to—”

  Cody stepped in front of Jamie. Shay slipped from the room while they circled each other like predators.

  Shay dug for her keys as she hurried to her car, but they weren’t in her pocket. She must have dropped them when she and Bree moved Jamie. She wasn’t going back in there. She looked inside Cody’s truck. His keys were in the ignition. He could drive her car or stay with Jamie. As far as she was concerned, Cody and Jamie could both rot in hell.

  Bree ran out as Shay opened Cody’s truck door. “Where are you going?”

  “I need to get away from here.”

  “You can’t go alone. It’s too dangerous.” A roar erupted from inside the house. “Heck. I’m coming with you.” Bree opened the passenger door and slid in. “Let them fight it out.”

  ***

  The servant parked down the street, watching the house through binoculars. It was the ex-boyfriend’s house. What was she doing there? Reconciling? A truck pulled into the driveway, and two men got out. The warrior who was always with her, the one the master said she had to stay away from, and the man in the kilt. He was tired of all these men hovering. It was impossible to get near her. Her house was like a damned hotel. Was she sleeping with one—or all—of them?

  The rage built inside him, growing until he thought it might burn him alive. He pulled out his knife, put it to his arm, and stopped. He’d cut something, all right. The master said it was crucial that they not have children. He couldn’t kill her yet, even if the master wanted him too, but he could get rid of the warrior. The master would like that.

  After the men entered the house, he pulled closer and parked his car behind a thick maple covered with red leaves. He glanced at the house. All clear. He approached the man’s truck and lay down beside the wheel, holding his knife and an empty 7-11 coffee cup. It didn’t take long.

  Hurrying back to his car, he moved out of sight and wiped the fluid from his knife blade with a dirty handkerchief. He heard an engine start, and the warrior’s truck backed out of the driveway. It wouldn’t be long. As the truck sped by his hiding place, he saw Shay in the driver’s seat.

  “No!” he screamed.

  ***

  “Get your hands off me—” Jamie said, bristling.

  “Shut up! Both of you,” Faelan shouted, pulling Jamie and Cody apart. “Where’s Bree and Shay?”

  An engine roared to life. “That’s my truck,” Cody said. “Damn it, that’s my truck!” They sprinted outside in time to see the Toyota pull away with Shay and Bree inside. “Stop!”

  The truck kept going, spitting dirt and gravel. Cody ran to Shay’s rental car and yanked open the door. “No keys.”

  “We can take my truck.” Jamie ran into the house and returned with keys to his grandfather’s faded green Chevy. Faelan shoved Cody in the middle and climbed in beside him. The old engine thundered and grumbled. Jamie threw it in drive and pulled onto the road. The men bounced along, jammed shoulder to shoulder, as the truck whined and climbed the winding mountain road.

  “If you two weren’t fighting, they wouldn’t have run off,” Faelan said.

  Cody didn’t know Jamie as well as his brothers did, but he always considered him a friend. A few weeks ago, Marcas told Cody they’d had Jamie keeping an eye on Shay for the past several months, since he lived in Scotland, not far from Shay. They hadn’t bothered to tell him Jamie was her bloody boyfriend. Cody had gone to Scotland to find her as soon as his duty was over. He’d felt as nervous and excited as a teenager… until he saw the ring on her hand.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged to her when I saw you in Scotland?” Cody asked Jamie. He’d sat next to Jamie at the castle, never dreaming it was his ring Cody had seen on Shay’s finger.

  “Marcas told me to keep my mouth shut. And Shay and I weren’t together then anyway,” Jamie said, his voice tight.

  They reached the top of the mountain, nearing the entrance to Skyline Drive. “Any idea which road they took?” Faelan asked.

  “Call them,” Jamie said.

  Cody and Faelan looked at each other. “My phone’s in the truck,” Cody said.

  “Mine too. Use yours,” Faelan said to Jamie.

  Jamie grimaced. “It’s in the house.”

  “Shay’ll take Skyline Drive,” Cody said. “She likes the scenery.”

  “I know that,” Jamie said.

  “I see them. Won’t this thing go faster?” Faelan grumbled as they turned onto the scenic mountaintop road. He shifted, knocking Cody in the ribs, and peered out the window. “Nandor was quicker than this.”

  “This truck’s probably just as old,” Cody muttered.

  ***

  “I should have connected the dots,” Shay said as the truck moved along the scenic drive. “Those blasted necklaces—talismans. But I grew up around men who wore necklaces… wait, are the tattoos part of all this?”

  “Yes. All warriors have them.”

  Shay thumped her palm on the steering wheel. “Is there anyone who hasn’t lied to me?”

  “I don’t blame you for being angry, but keep in mind that warriors are sworn to secrecy,” Bree said. “They can’t reveal clan secrets without permission from the Council.”

  “But the man asked me to marry him and never bothered to mention he was a warrior sent to baby-sit me!”

  “Men can be jackasses sometimes, but don’t forget how much they’ve all sacrificed to protect you. Especially Cody.”

  There was something in Bree’s voice that made Shay look at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. Just this feeling. There’s something about this whole thing. I don’t think it’s just about you. I think Cody is involved too.”

  “You think the stalker is after Cody?” Shay glanced in the rearview mirror, frowning, and the truck swerved toward the low wall that lined the road.

  “It’s somehow connected to both of you. Do you want me to drive?” Bree asked.

  Shay frowned. “No. Sorry, I thought I recognized the car behind us.”

  “They’ll be following us, no doubt about that.”

  “Not the men. It looks like Renee’s car.” The truck veered again, moving close to the wall that blocked the drop to the valley far below. Shay tapped the brakes, but the truck picked up speed.

  “Could we slow down a tad? My stomach’s feeling queasy.” The tires squealed as Shay rounded the curve. The truck scraped the wall, throwing Bree into the door.

  Shay gripped the steering wheel and pumped the brakes. “The brakes aren’t working!” She pulled the truck back onto the road, and it continued picking up speed. She tried to calm her panic and listen for Cody’s voice. Keep a clear head. Think. You’ve been equipped with what you need. She pictured his face as the next curve loomed ahead. “Hang on, I’m going to try to slow the truck down.”

  “Hurry!” Bree’s panicked voice sounded far away. The engine whined as Shay lowered it to third, then second gear. The truck slowed, but they were still approaching the next curve too fast. She dropped it to first, and the truck jerked.

  “Hold on,” Shay yelled.

  “Oh my God! We’re going over!” Bree covered her stomach with both hands as they hurtled toward the edge of the mountain.

  ***

  “I see something red,” Faelan said, craning his neck. “No, that’s a car. It’s the same color as Cody’s truck.”

  Cody squinted. “There they are. A few curves ahead.”

  “I see them,” Jamie said, speeding up. “What the—she almost hit the wall!”

  “What’s she doing?” Faelan scooted forward.

  Cody moved to avoid getting his ribs cracked and bumped Jamie’s arm, causing the truck to jerk. “Someth
ing’s wrong,” he said, as they lost sight of Cody’s truck.

  Faelan had his knees against the dashboard, head moving like a bobblehead doll, trying to spot Cody’s truck. “Where’d they go?”

  Cody shoved Faelan’s hand off his leg and tried to scoot forward. “There it is. She’s going too fast.” The truck righted itself, only to veer toward the next overlook. It lurched several times, slowing, but not enough.

  “Damnation—”

  “She’s headed for the drop-off!” Cody’s throat went dry. They watched as the truck careened toward the edge and disappeared. Jamie jammed the accelerator to the floor.

  As soon as they reached the accident site, Faelan opened the door and jumped out before the truck came to a complete stop. Cody was on his heels. He could see the red car speeding around the next bend. Bastard hadn’t even stopped. The front of Cody’s truck was wedged against a cedar, the only thing keeping it from plunging down the mountain. The passenger door was open, and Bree lay on her side a few feet away.

  “Mo ghaol.” Faelan’s voice was choked as he dropped beside Bree.

  “Shay!” Cody rushed to the driver’s side, skidding to a halt as the ground dropped away. He ran around to the other side, where Faelan was trying to wake Bree. Blood trickled from Bree’s head, and three tiny drops were on the back of her neck, peeking out from under her hair. Or was it a mark? There was something odd about it.

  Cody edged around them and peered in the open passenger door. A flip-flop lay on the floor and another on the seat, but Shay wasn’t there. His heart thudded. Had she been thrown out? The pine creaked and the truck shifted. God, don’t let her be under there. Cody knelt to check, but the space beneath the truck was covered with rocks and trees that could hide a body.

  Jamie rushed up, carrying a wench line. “Attach this to the frame. If that tree snaps, the truck’s gone.”

  “Shay’s not in the truck,” Cody said.

  “Then where…” Jamie paled. Both men looked down the mountainside, covered in trees and jagged rocks that could shatter bones and tear flesh. Even if she was alive, if she was in the path of the truck, it would crush her.

  “Hurry.” Cody put the hook in place while Jamie rushed back to his Chevy and tightened the line, steadying the truck. “I’ll check down there,” Cody said. “You check the top.”

  “Shay!” Cody yelled, scrambling down the hill, holding onto trees. He wedged his feet against outcroppings of rocks to keep from falling.

  “She’s here!” Jamie called a minute later.

  Blood rushed past Cody’s ears like a cracked dam. She was upset when she left. She must have forgotten to fasten the seat belt and been thrown. He pulled himself back up, one tree at a time. Faelan still held Bree, but she was conscious, struggling to get up.

  “Where’s Shay?” she asked.

  “Here,” Jamie called. He was bent down close to the road. A pair of bare feet stuck out from behind a rock.

  Cody ran, every muscle and bone in his body screaming with fear. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t. Shay’s eyes were closed. Cody dropped beside her. “Is she—?”

  Shay’s eyes fluttered, and she touched her stomach. “Baby.”

  He was so glad she was alive that it took a minute for the words to sink in. Baby? Cody stared at her stomach as his turned. Was Shay pregnant?

  Chapter 6

  Duncan Connor tapped his boot impatiently against the tire as Sorcha dug through one of her bags, giving him an unwanted glimpse of too much sleek, toned leg under her black skirt.

  “I hope there’s a horde of demons waiting,” she said. “I’ve got all this pent-up energy since the battle with Druan. I need some hard, physical activity before I go insane.”

  Kill me now. “Can whatever you’re doing wait? We’ll be there in an hour. What’d you do, bring your whole closet?”

  “Stuff it, cousin. I’ve got a lot on my mind. There.” Sorcha pulled out her small dagger, a sgian dubh, and tucked it inside her boot, giving Duncan another unwelcome glimpse.

  “Sorcha, your turn to baby-sit,” Anna said, opening the front passenger side of the SUV. “You know how I feel about kids.”

  Brodie crossed his muscular arms over his chest. “Blimey. A guy tries to have a little fun, and that’s cause to treat him like a kid? What’s wrong, Anna, you got PMS? You’ve been in a foul mood for days.”

  Sorcha opened the back door and glared at Brodie. “No practical jokes. If I see a snake anywhere in this vehicle, I’ll tie your legs around your neck and strangle you.”

  Duncan grinned. She could do it. He started the engine and pulled away from the rest area.

  “So Cody MacBain and the Mighty Faelan, two of the most powerful warriors in clan history, need our help,” Brodie said. “I’m not sure whether to be honored or petrified.”

  “If you and Ronan don’t stop calling Faelan that,” Duncan said, “you’re gonna wish you were in a time vault. So what’s Shay’s story, and why is Cody so worked up about her?”

  Anna flipped open her notebook. “Her real name is Dana Michelle Rodgers. Her father was a warrior, Edward Rodgers, a warrior from the Connor clan. When Shay was a baby, she was almost killed in a car accident in Scotland. The mother died, but Shay survived. An old man rescued her. The clan thought she had been marked by a demon. They didn’t know if she was the target or if it was just revenge, so they faked her death, changed her identity, and moved her to America in the middle of the night, sending Cody’s father, Ewan MacBain and his whole family to protect her.”

  “Ewan MacBain?” Brodie said. “I’ve heard of him.”

  “And the woman who raised her?” Sorcha asked.

  “Ewan’s wife’s half sister, Nina. Her husband was a friend of Ewan’s.”

  “So Shay never knew her father was a warrior?” Sorcha asked.

  Anna shook her head. “They decided it was more important to hide her than to reveal her past. They figured if she survived her childhood, they’d tell her. This is where it gets confusing. Just as they were ready to tell her, Shay moved to Lake Placid with her best friend, Renee, and refused to have anything to do with the clan. It’s not common knowledge, but I’ve heard rumors that Cody almost walked away from his duty.”

  “I can’t imagine a warrior as powerful as Cody refusing his duty. Must be a story there,” Sorcha said.

  Anna closed her notebook. “A few years after college, she went to live in Scotland.”

  “They let her go?” Duncan asked.

  “The demon her father had been hunting at the time disappeared. Right before Cody was about to tell Shay who she was, they found out the demon was dead. The clan thought she was safe,” Anna said.

  “And out of the blue, she’s in danger again,” Brodie said.

  “And her friend in Leesburg somehow gets her hands on our book and sends it to Shay’s ex-boyfriend. Is anyone else disturbed by this?” Sorcha added.

  “I’ve been disturbed for the past month,” Brodie said. “Vampires and demons, and now we’ve got to ask who in his right mind would go up against the Mighty Faelan and Cody MacBain.”

  ***

  Malek reached through the shattered window and felt for the baby’s pulse. None. A smile crept over his lips. Her face was plump, cherubic, eyes closed as if asleep. The fire hadn’t reached her yet, but it would soon. Perhaps it was the frustration that had been building for the better part of two centuries that caused him to run one long claw down the tiny shoulder, bared by a flowered sundress.

  A large owl swooped down, landing in the crooked branches of a pine, as Malek watched the letter fill with blood. Destroying her would eliminate his enemy before he was even born. He stepped back from the flames so his human skin wouldn’t sear, while the owl watched with round, unblinking eyes. Malek let out a roar of triumph. The job was done. All he needed now was the book.

  The ping of shovel on metal brought Malek back to the present.

  The halfling in the grave raised his head and grinned, showi
ng long, yellow teeth. “We found it, Master.”

  Malek kicked dirt off his shoe and ran his finger over the name etched under the angel’s wing as the men positioned the ropes. Had he been tricked? Had he spent the past twenty-six years deceived by mere humans? If he was right about the contents of the grave, Shay Logan and Cody MacBain must be killed without delay. The night breeze ruffled his hair, irritating him. “Hurry.”

  The men stood on each side and slowly raised the tiny casket. Moonlight glinted off the white lid.

  “Move!” He shoved them aside, grabbed the shovel, and wedged in under the lid, prying it open. He looked at the satin trim and tiny pillow. No body. His claws extended, bones stretched, and skin thickened. “No,” he roared, as the others ran for cover. “No!”

  ***

  Cody brushed a strand of hair from Shay’s forehead. His neck tingled, like it always did when she was near. He touched her lips, remembering the agony of those few moments he feared she was dead. He couldn’t live without her. He was deceiving himself if he believed otherwise, yet he couldn’t force her to love him.

  There was also Jamie to worry about, and what Shay had said after the accident. Maybe he misheard. Jamie hadn’t mentioned it, and Cody hadn’t had the guts to ask. If Jamie had gotten Shay pregnant and abandoned her, Cody would kill him. Or was that why Jamie was here? Had he just found out Shay carried his child? That might give him cause to stalk her.

  “She needs rest,” the sullen nurse said, refilling Shay’s pitcher of water.

  Shay and Bree had been checked out at the hospital and released, both suffering from concussions. Cody had gotten Marcas to find the closest clan nurse to make sure the women followed orders, but looking at her dour face, he regretted it. The woman had the bedside manner of a goat.

  “Ba…” Shay turned her head, her fingers gripping the sheet over her stomach. “Baby.”

  Cody’s ham sandwich started climbing up his throat. He tried convincing himself again that she was just saying something that sounded like baby.