She choked on her water. “You want me to have eight?”
“Over time, lass. Not all at once.”
“Oh, that makes me feel so much better. Thanks, honey.”
He grinned, walking out onto the patio and throwing the steaks on the grill. Leaving the door open, he walked back in and set the plate in the sink.
“So if the Cauld Ane are officially going underground a bit, what does that mean for us in general?”
Thane settled himself on the sofa next to her. “Not a whole lot, to be honest. We’ll still have our parties and our celebrations; we’ll just do it away from the public eye. Samantha’s thrilled, let me tell you.”
“I bet.” Sydney giggled. “What about you? Will you miss the lights of the marquee with your name big enough for everyone to see?”
“I’ve never cared much about that, baby.”
She smiled just as the timer sounded and Thane stood and headed back out to the patio to flip the steaks. “Are you worried about the decision?” he asked, sitting beside her again.
“Not unless it’s going to rob you of your joy not to do movies for a while.”
He squeezed her knee. “You’re my joy, love. Coinneach’s my joy. And when she comes, Gertrude will be my joy.”
Sydney choked on her water again. “Stop doing that to me,” she demanded. “We’re not naming her Gertrude.”
“Well, we need to come up with something if you’re not going to name her after your mother.”
“Linda, honey. We can’t name her Linda. It’s an old person’s name.”
“I happen to know several people named Linda who aren’t old,” he countered.
“Well, maybe old’s not the right word. But it was my mother’s name, and it just doesn’t fit with us, you know?” Sydney sighed. “I’m fine with it being a middle name, but I want something awesome for our daughter. Something as cool as Coinneach.”
“All right, lass. We’ve got time.”
“Yep.” She smiled. “We have two months.”
“Aye, love, two months.” He rose to his feet again. “Salad?”
“Yes, but can I make it?”
“You don’t like my salad?”
She slid off the sofa. “Thane, your idea of a salad is lettuce and croutons.”
“That’s a salad.”
“That’s a lazy person’s salad,” she corrected.
He grinned. “I’ll give you that.”
“I know you will, because you love avocado and everything else I put in there just as much, you just don’t want to cut it up.”
“No, I’m better with meat.”
She shivered, biting her lip. “Oh, yeah, baby, you are so much better with meat.”
He kissed her quickly and gently smacked her bottom. “I’ll show you what I can really do with meat later.”
“Can’t wait.”
Sydney giggled as she made a non-lazy person’s salad and Thane tended to the grill. She watched him doing something so incredibly manly and, dare she say, American, and she felt her mother smiling down on her. Thane was right. Her mother would be happy for her. Sydney had been blessed with a life far more wonderful than she deserved and she once again found herself sending up another prayer. Carrying the plates onto the patio, she kissed her mate and they sat down to enjoy a perfectly wonderful evening while their perfectly wonderful baby slept upstairs.
Life really was perfect.
Copyright © 2017 by Piper Davenport
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States
Kenna McFadden has waited more than two hundred years for her mate and she finds him in a most unexpected way.
On a mission to find his missing niece, prince Gunnar Baldersson finds someone far more precious to him. Join in their bonding as they fall in love while celebrating the sweetness and joy of Christmas.
Edinburgh, Scotland
KENNA MCFADDEN WALKED into her sister’s home... her home, for the time being anyway... and fell into Gillian’s hug. She was on hiatus from her job as tour manager for the multi-platinum album selling band, Fallen Crown, and she desperately needed the break. “Och, sis, I’m knackered.”
Gillian gave her a squeeze. “You’re always knackered when you’re done with a tour.”
Kenna sighed with relief, looking forward to reconnecting with her family... finally. “Aye, ’tis true. I can’t wait for the next year off.”
“Max is givin’ you a year, is he?”
“That’s what he said.” She smiled. “I still have my job with Rogue, but it’ll only be a couple of days a week for now.” Rogue was a non-profit company the leaders of Fallen Crown, Niall and Max, started to aid and protect human women and children in abusive situations. Kenna helped women settle into their new lives, using her gift of suggestion to calm often volatile situations. “You know what Rogue is like, it’s feast or famine, so the hours are unpredictable. Plus, besides her normal duties, Grace is taking over a lot of the tour management, so it’s all good.”
Max’s mate, Grace, was now working for Kenna as her assistant and Kenna loved her. She also loved knowing that if she ever wanted to leave her job permanently, she’d be leaving the band in Grace’s capable hands.
“Are you all right with your job essentially being eliminated?”
“Aye, love. Very much so. It’s a good time to transition out, anyway. I can concentrate on Rogue and perhaps spend more time with you.”
“Well, I for one am so glad you’re home,” Gillian said.
“Me too, love. With all the drama with Max, I’m especially drained.”
Gillian sighed. “I can’t believe he thought you had something to do with Moira’s death.”
Max and Niall’s sister, Moira, had been Kenna’s closest friend until Moira was brutally murdered. Max had somehow gotten in his mind that Kenna had lured her to her death and had spent more than a hundred years hating her for it. They’d just recently sorted through their issues and things were now forgiven.
“Max has always been a bit of a prick.”
Kenna giggled. “Thank God for Grace.”
“Aye... a thousand times, yes. Thank God for Grace.”
Kenna bit back a yawn. “I finally have enough time to find a home of my own.”
“You’re not goin’ anywhere until yer bound... or I’m bound,” Gillian countered. “Last standing spinster gets the house.”
Kenna giggled. “How old are we now?”
“I stopped counting at two hundred.”
“Exactly.” Kenna waved her hand in the air. “I doubt we’re going to find our mates any time soon.”
“One can dream, dear heart.”
“Aye. One can certainly dream.”
Gillian grabbed a suitcase and started toward the stairs. “Let’s get you settled. I made stew if you’re hungry.”
“You made me stew?”
“Aye, why?”
“You’re just the best sister ever.”
Gillian laughed. “Oh, if only you’d said that when we were wee.”
“I’m sure I did. A thousand times.”
“Never. Not once,” Gillian corrected.
“Well, I’m saying it now.”
Gillian grinned as she pushed open the guest room door. Kenna stepped inside, throwing the bag she carried onto the bed while Gillian set the other one near the door.
“Do you want to eat or sleep?”
Kenna nodded.
Gillian chuckled. “Come and eat then, and when you’ve had enough I’ll leave you to sleep.”
“Thank you.”
Kenna followed her sister downstairs and helped herself to dinner. “Any news from Payton?”
Their sister was mated to Brodie Gunnach, one of the princes of the Cauld Ane, and she was expecting their first child. She was due any day now and Gillian and Kenna had promised to be there for the birth.
“No. She’s just feeling huge and wanting the baby out.”
Kenna sighed. “She is big
, eh?”
“Aye, but look at Brodie, you can’t exactly call him small.”
“Will she be okay?”
“Aye, love, she’ll be fine. Our babies are usually big.”
Kenna sat at the table and frowned. “How’s Brodie going to take all of this?”
Gillian laughed. “He’s going to completely lose his mind, but that’s part of the reason we’re going to be there.”
“Aye, I suppose ’tis.”
Gillian poured herself a glass of wine and handed Kenna a Belhaven. “Eat yer supper and don’t worry about Pay. We’ll take good care of her.”
Kenna grinned with a nod, sipping the beer. “Thank you.”
* * *
Kenna awoke as the buzz of her cell phone busted into her dream. Ewan MacGregor was leaning in to kiss her after admitting his undying love for her. Of course, he wasn’t married with kids in her dream, because it was long before his wife had even been born.
“Hello,” she grumbled.
“Oh, Kenna,” a worried Alaina Meyer rasped. “Can you come in, please? We need your help.”
Kenna glanced at the clock. Three a.m. “What’s going on, love?”
“A human woman came in with her two kids and we’re having difficulty handling the husband.”
Kenna sat up and threw the covers off. “The husband’s there?”
“Aye.”
“And everyone’s in Inverness,” Kenna finished.
Max and Grace’s main home was in the Scotland countryside, and Niall and Charlotte were visiting for a few weeks.
Alaina’s voice hitched. “Aye.”
“What about Dalton or Cole?”
“I’ve left messages for both of them.”
“Okay, love, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Kenna hung up and rushed to dress. She left a note for her sister, grabbed her keys, and headed out to the car. She wasn’t far from Rogue House, and at this hour, there was no traffic. Thank God for small favors.
Arriving at the back entrance of the Rogue offices, Kenna locked her car and rushed inside. She could hear the slurred bellow of a deep voice coming from the conference room near the lobby, so she made her way there. She walked inside to find a disheveled and filthy man, hands cuffed behind his back, sitting on the floor with his cuffs secured to a bolt in the concrete.
Dalton Moore leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his gun visible but still holstered. Dalton was the king’s brother-in-law, but he was also human and worked closely with the human side of the Cauld Ane security company. He was ex-FBI, American, and although he was model gorgeous, he was equally as scary when he had to be. He caught sight of Kenna and gave her a chin lift. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Kenna said. “Are the police on their way?”
“Yes.”
“Who the hell are you?” the man yelled.
“Shut your mouth,” Dalton demanded.
“Are you the bitch who kidnapped my family?”
Kenna frowned.
Dalton stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Kenna. “You speak to me not her.”
“I will find them,” the man seethed, and leaned to the right in order to see Kenna. “Then I’ll find you.”
Even though the man was human and would never be able to match Kenna’s strength, she couldn’t stop a shiver.
Dalton shifted again then faced her. “Safe room.”
Kenna nodded. “Thanks.”
She left as fast as she could and headed through the complicated maze of hallways and false walls and doors that led to one of three safe rooms. Each entrance could only be accessed through thumbprint and swipe card security panels, so even if someone found their way to one of the doors, they wouldn’t be able to get inside.
Kenna and three other people who’d worked for Rogue for more than twenty years were the only ones with access, plus Niall, Max, and their mates, which provided an extra level of security.
Sixth door in, she turned left and walked into the safe room open on the schedule. Alaina sat on one of the sofas holding a very thin toddler while a young woman, beaten and bloody, huddled in the opposite corner, a dirty young boy in her lap.
“Hi,” Alaina whispered.
“Hi. Has everyone been fed?”
“Cook’s making something for them now.”
“Thank you.” Kenna smiled gently and sat on the coffee table across from the woman. “How are you, lass?”
“Who are you?” the little boy demanded, obviously trying to protect his mother.
“My name’s Kenna, sweetheart. Can you tell me your name?” She reached her hand out to shake his hand. If he’d touch her, she could get him to do whatever she needed him to with her gift of suggestion.
“It’s Donall. I’m named after me father,” he said proudly, and took her hand.
“Well, that’s a very fine name.”
“I want me da.”
“Well, love, I’m afraid he’s not up to visitors right now.” She laid her free hand over his and studied him. “Can I have a look at yer mummy, please? I’d like to help her feel better.”
Donnall climbed from his mother’s lap and sat beside Alaina who was holding his sister.
“Thank you,” Kenna said, and focused on the mother. “You look pretty sore, love. Do you mind if we have you examined?”
“No,” she mumbled, and then whimpered.
“She may have a broken jaw,” Alaina provided.
Kenna nodded and dialed Gillian’s phone.
“Kenna, you all right?” her sister asked.
“Aye. We have a woman and her two children here and I’m wondering if you can swing by and have a look at them.”
“Aye, love, but not for about thirty minutes. I’ve just finished up with a mum and have to turn her over to Dr. Madsen, then I’ll be able to leave.”
“That’s fine. She may have a broken jaw, is there anything I can do for her?”
“Just keep her still, love.”
“I can do that.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Gillian promised.
“Thanks.”
Kenna hung up and smiled at Donnall’s mother. “I’m going to grab some paper and a pen so you don’t have to speak, okay?” The woman nodded and Kenna stepped into the supply closet at the back of the room. Grabbing pen and paper, she also took some crayons and coloring books from their stash and headed back to the little family. While Alaina got the kids settled with the crayons, Kenna sat in front of the woman, handing her the paper. “Can you write down your name, please?”
She nodded and scribbled, Claire Mann.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Claire. My sister is a doctor and she’s going to be here shortly to have a look at all of you and then we’ll go about finding you a safe place to stay for a while. We have a flat here, and although it’s safe, I don’t like that your husband knows where you are.”
Claire nodded, blinking back tears.
“Right, love. I’m going to check on breakfast and then find some clothes for your bairns. We’ll let them have baths and get them fed and into something clean if that sounds good to you.”
Claire nodded again, and wrote, thank you.
Kenna smiled and took the back door out of the safe room and toward the kitchen. The rest of the morning was filled with police reports, paperwork, acquiring money for Claire and her family, along with procuring a safe place where Donnall Senior couldn’t find them.
By the time Kenna arrived home at almost six that night, she fell into bed and slept until ten the next morning.
* * *
Three days later, Kenna was in her bathroom, pulling her hair back in order to wash her face when Gillian appeared in the doorway. “Payton’s in labor.”
“Now?” Kenna asked, splashing water on her face.
“Aye. We have to get to Connall’s as soon as possible.”
“Why’s she at Con’s place?” Kenna patted her skin dry with a towel.
“There’s something going on, but Ni
all wouldn’t tell me over the phone.”
“Niall’s with her? Why? Where’s Brodie?”
Gillian rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, love, but we’ve got to go.”
“Okay, keep yer knickers on,” Kenna retorted. “Just have to grab my purse.”
Kenna rushed to her bedroom and then down the stairs and joined her sister who was standing at the front door, waving her on.
“I haven’t been a doctor for more than three hundred years for Payton to have this bloody baby without us,” Gillian decreed.
Kenna giggled. “Amen, sis.”
Gillian threw her medical bag in the back of her sedan and Kenna jumped into the front seat, securing her seat belt while Gillian climbed into the driver’s seat.
Connall’s flat wasn’t far from Gillian’s and she pulled into the driveway and turned off the car less than ten minutes later. Kenna was momentarily overwhelmed with feelings of love, but she shook it off, assuming the emotion was for her sister.
“Ready?” Gillian asked, grabbing her bag from the back.
“Aye. Let’s meet our new bairn.”
* * *
If you liked this sneak peek, you can purchase Bound by Joy HERE.
Piper Davenport is the alter-ego of New York Times Bestselling Author, Tracey Jane Jackson. She writes from a place of passion and intrigue, combining elements of romance and suspense with strong modern-day heroes and heroines.
She currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two kids.
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Bound by Light (Cauld Ane Series Book 7) Page 22