Highlands at Dawn

by Aliyah Burke

  American. He mispronounced my name. Asian. Damn good looking. Wonder if this is the one Shelly mentioned.

  “It’s Malmuirie,” she said, giving it the proper accents.

  He blinked before grinning. Shit! His grin was sex personified. Had she been she wearing panties, they would be soaked. I think I just need to get laid. This can’t be healthy, thinking about a stranger like this.

  “Apologies, Malmuirie.”

  Lord, he said my name well.

  She coughed to cover her arousal and crossed her arms over her breasts, hoping to hide her pointed nipples.

  “You left this at King Tut’s.” He held something out to her, and she took it, immediately recognizing her slim wallet.

  I didn’t leave this there. I know I had it at the hospital. He is the one who asked about me at the hospital.

  “Thank you…?” She waited for him to supply her with his name.

  “Kwan. Billy Kwan.”

  She smiled. “I appreciate it.”

  “Glad I could help.” He shuffled one foot and for a moment, looked nearly innocent.

  She wasn’t buying it but she didn’t speak on it.

  “Don’t suppose you’d like to go out on a date with me?”

  She stepped back and fought the hard line of her lips. He was confident, she’d give him that. “Give me a minute.”

  She closed the door gently in his face. No way I’m having this discussion wearing nothing but a silk robe. Heading for her room, she licked her lips and sighed. What am I supposed to do about this? It didn’t take her long to throw on some clothes and run a brush through her hair.

  Slowing before the door, she took a deep breath then opened it. He—Billy—waited for her. His khakis and nice polo enhanced his body type. It wasn’t that he was skinny but neither was he body-builder big.

  A grin hovered around his lips and she noticed the cockiness. Bracing a shoulder against the doorway, she inspected his nails—short, clean with no polish.

  “So tell me why you think I would accept a date with the man who followed me to work from a club where he waited outside for me to leave—all night, I’m almost impressed—so he could run into me and steal my wallet in order to get my residence.”

  He didn’t miss a beat. “Because I returned it to you.”

  She wasn’t moved. “Wouldn’t have had to if you’d not taken it in the first place. And I’m guessing you needed to make sure it was the right address.”

  He nodded but didn’t move any closer to her. “True, but not for the reason you are thinking.”

  Mal rubbed her nose. “So you don’t want a date then?”

  Was it her imagination or did he actually blush? If he did, he recovered quickly.

  “I would love a date.”

  “Sure you would. You came to Glasgow to get a date.”

  “How do you know I’ve not just moved here?”

  She blinked.

  “You’re right. It would improve my trip though.”

  “I’m entertaining a lunatic.”

  He lost all joviality. “I’m not here to hurt you. In fact, I’m here to protect you.”

  The tone with which he spoke had her hesitating and looking at him in a whole new light. In her line of work, she had to assess situations quickly at times and she’d long since learned to trust herself. Everything in her was urging to trust the man—or at least to hear him out.

  She stepped back and waved him inside her flat. “Perhaps you should explain yourself.” Mal closed the door and followed him to the sofa. Once he sat, she picked a seat opposite him. “I’m waiting.”

  “Have you ever heard of The New Order?”

  She leaned back and placed one foot on the seat. “Nope. Who is it? Or what?”

  “A group of fanatics who are sent to collect specific items and kill any and all who get in their way.”

  Latching her hands around her shin, she tilted her head to the side. “Two things.”

  “What’s that?”

  “What does this New Order have to do with me and why are you, an American, the one who’s supposed to be protecting me? I’m not an American citizen.”

  “They’re after something you have.”

  She scrunched up her face. “Something I have? And what would that be, pray tell?”

  “Your necklace.”

  She hesitated. “My necklace?” Mal shook her head. “I don’t think so, but nice try. You need to leave.” She walked to the door. “Now.”

  “I’m not making this up.” He went and stood in her doorway.

  “Of course not,” she said drolly. “I mean, it’s every day a strange man walks up to me and spouts what you did. I see you again…I ring the authorities.”

  He held up a hand and she tensed in case he put that hand on her. Billy did no such thing. “You need to listen.”

  Her grin was anything but pleasant. “No, but thanks. You almost had me. I’ll admit it, but no way an organization is after me to the point I need an American bodyguard for a necklace. Which, by the way, is actually a belt—I just wear it as a necklace. You know what else? You can get it if you drive north to the Highlands. It’s a trinket they sell up there. Any number of them can be found at one time. I picked it up because I liked it.”

  This time she slammed the door and made sure to engage all the deadbolts. She rested her head against it, released a shaky breath and willed her legs not to give out on her.

  “Not the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Note to self, don’t trust instincts when this exhausted.” She stumbled back to bed and lay down with a grunt.

  * * * *

  Mal woke later, feeling a bit more refreshed. She took another shower and dressed in hiking clothing. After fixing herself something to eat, she left her place, looking around for the man who’d shown up at her door. When she didn’t see him, she continued on her way.

  Paying the taxi, she climbed out at Mugdock Country Park and waved to the driver as she headed off to take her typical route along one of her favorite paths. Carbeth and Back took her for six miles and gave her a great workout. She put in her music and began motioning at people she knew and petting the few dogs she ran into along her way.

  Chapter Two

  Billy observed Malmuirie as she walked along the trail. The park was gorgeous and he was blown away by it. Still, he didn’t let up on his vigilance. The New Order didn’t work alone and he knew without a doubt there would be others after her—or worse, they’d send some demons to rip the artifact from her carcass.

  He’d followed her as she walked through some ancient native woodland, over a country estate, and past lochs. She was now entering what was listed on the map as a conifer plantation. There were a few others who had been past, as well as a couple with some of their dogs.

  He wanted to yell at her that she was being foolish going with music in her ears and not paying attention. Crazy woman. He shook his head and picked up his speed as she vanished from view. Had she even informed someone she was taking this walk? Or was it part of her schedule and so people could plan an attack on her.

  He snarled at the thought of her being attacked. It didn’t make sense to him—she was someone’s mate, he didn’t need to get attached to her at all. But it was hard not to. Hell, when she’d answered the door at her place wearing nothing but that evergreen and ivory satin—possibly silk—robe, he’d nearly lost it.

  Her skin—a smooth dark sienna—had poured from beneath the hem of that tantalizing article into her house slippers. The white lace on the ends of the sleeves hadn’t helped anything. Well, it had made him harder. She’d looked tousled and he’d wondered what she looked like after a long session of making love. Or fucking. He wanted to do both.

  Kiss her pouty lips, suck them. Run his hands over her full breasts and nibble both as well. His cock jerked in his pants. Shaking his head, he tried to get his mind back in the game.

  Didn’t do me any favors when she went and changed either. She’d returned wearing something tha
t shouldn’t have done a damn thing to him. Wide-legged white sweat pants and a T-shirt that had seen better days. It had a picture of the Goonies on the front that had made him smile. There was a hole in the side that he hadn’t been able to take his eyes from, not even while she was kicking him out of her place. Even then, he’d wanted to peer in the hole and see what he could see.

  Now as she walked this path, he couldn’t help but watch the way her ass moved in the pants which so lovingly cupped her. He believed she’d done this before for her jacket was one that could double as a windbreaker or protection against any rain if a sudden storm popped up. On her head, hiding the top of her destructured bob with its heavy fringe, sat a purple knit cap. He could still see the irregularly feathered sides of her hair which framed her face. The strands did so in a way he’d like to—intimately.

  What’s wrong with me? He shook his head and tried—again—to focus on what he was there to do.

  His monkey sign gave him a warning prickle along his spine and he immediately went into full alert mode. He’d long since learned to depend on his sign and the help it gave him in keeping aware of potential danger to himself. How it worked? Well, not even Lian could explain it more than to say it was a gift. All their powers were gifts. He scanned the trees ahead of her. Damn it! A conifer plantation didn’t make it easy to spy much ahead. But he’d been spotting the little demon bastards for a while now.

  Apparently They’d gotten bored with waiting for The New Order one to acquire her necklace and had sent a demon. Although, they rarely travel alone, so it’s more like demons. He leaped with ease up into the nearest tree and went from trunk to trunk, rushing to make sure he got there first.

  He wasn’t all that surprised when he saw a man lying in the path and another bending over him. They knew she was a doctor and wouldn’t be able to pass them by without helping. And he wasn’t anyone’s fool. He knew what would happen next.

  “Help! Please help!” the one man called.

  Malmuirie removed her earbuds and hastened forward. “What’s going on? I’m a doctor. Have you called for help?”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, Billy couldn’t help but smile at her thick brogue.

  “Yes, they’re on the way but he’s losing so much.”

  She didn’t blink, just went to the man’s side and crouched by him. Her hands moved swiftly as she tried to ascertain where the damage had come from. “I don’t see any blood. What’s he losing so much of? And how did it happen? Did he fall off something? Or just collapse?”

  Billy neared and used his legs to support him while he threw daggers at the demons hiding in the trees. His doc wasn’t even looking around her. All her attention was on the man lying on the ground, so she never even noticed the second one pull a gun and aim it at her.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re really going to need that necklace.”

  “What?” She looked up and blanched.

  The man gestured with his weapon, while the ‘injured’ one got to his feet and drew his own pistol. “The necklace.” He beckoned with the fingers of his other hand. “I’ll take it, if you please.”

  Billy saw red. He tapped his speed and blasted out of the air, hitting the two men with serious force. The three of them rolled away from her where he swiftly, and with extreme prejudice, killed them.

  On his knees, he turned his head, searching for Malmuirie. She stared at him, eyes wide with shock and alarm. Behind her, a demon screeched and dropped into a swoop, aiming for her. Billy launched at her, wrapping her in his arms as the poisoned claws barely missed her and ripped into his shoulder.

  “Always knew there were more of you bastards,” he swore as they hit the ground. He rolled to take most of the hit then continued until she was beneath him and he could protect her. He threw more daggers and the demon, along with another, went down in heaps of sulfuric stench and cries.

  “What the hell is going on?” she asked, pushing against him.

  He winced when she hit his injury. “Stay here.”

  Billy rolled off her and went back up toward the path. He called up more blades to sit in the palms of his hand and looked around, searching.

  “Look out!” Malmuirie’s scream from behind him had him whirling and releasing those very weapons. Two more demons fell and he ran for her, reaching out with his hand and snagging hers as he went. Without slowing, he continued, this time heading up the path and hoping to get out into more open space.

  She didn’t slow him down and he increased his speed, grateful she kept up. When they arrived at a spot with a more open canopy above them, he finally slowed and took her to the side, where he encouraged her to have a seat.

  Staring in her direction, he looked over her. “Are you hurt? Did they hit you?”

  “You really are here to protect me,” she said, awe in her voice. “How did you do that? With the weapons?”

  “Yes.” He hesitated, having to think on it. Calling up weapons was just something they did. They each carried a certain number of things, depending on the item. Whatever Inaki, the demon who created their weapons, did, allowed them to think about having them in hand, and they appeared.

  “What about those two men? I need to go back and help them. Those things could have hurt them.”

  He shook his head. “They’re dead.”

  “How could you possibly know that?”

  “I killed them.”

  Her eyes widened and she gulped. “Just like that…you killed them.”

  “Didn’t you see the guns they had on you?”

  “They wanted my necklace, like you. I don’t think they would have killed me.”

  “No, they would have taken your necklace and then raped you. After that, they would have killed you.” Christ, his heart pounded nearly out of control. He had his hands on her upper arms and couldn’t bring himself to let her go.

  “And you?” she asked.

  “I told you already. I’m here to…” He saw indigo flickers around his fingers where he touched her. No way.

  “You’re injured,” she said. “Let me look at that.”

  He held her gaze and saw some of the same colors around the collar of her windbreaker. Billy stared at her necklace—the stone in the center looked like just a black rock. Not shiny like obsidian or anything like that. His stomach clenched as he reached out and moved his fingers closer to it. He had to know. Had to see what happened next.

  At first contact, heat pulsed through him. Then the artifact came alive. Ribbons of dark purple and varying shades of greens flowed out from it like waves of fire.

  “What’s going on?” Malmuirie scrambled back from him but he followed, unwilling to release the necklace.

  “I found it, Lian. I’m touching the artifact now. But that’s not all. I’ve also found my mate.”

  “Congrats, my son. Bring her soon.”

  She smacked at his hand until he let go. The colors hovered around them, throbbing with a life of their own.

  “My God,” she muttered. “It’s like my Northern Lights.” She continually looked around, like her head was on a swivel. “I’m in them.”

  “Mal,” he murmured.

  His single word got her attention back on him. “Talk.” Her word fell in an authoritative tone, one which booked very little, if any, room for argument.

  He didn’t know how to tell her what this meant. His mouth moved but nothing came out, so he decided to hell with it and kissed her. He could feel power surging through him, followed by a warmth of something he knew he never wanted to be without. Completion. Wholeness.

  Holy shit, this man can kiss. And he’s kissing me. Why is he kissing me?

  Thankfully, passion overrode her brain’s over contemplation of what had happened. Every inch of her was on overload. She wasn’t sure she even wanted to understand what had happened just a few moments ago, all starting when she’d come upon those two on the path.

  His tongue slipped deeper into her mouth and she felt his groan rumble up from his chest a
s he wrapped her tight in his arms. His warm body pressed her further into the earth and she welcomed it.

  All her bottled-up need exploded and she arched into him, wanting everything he was willing to give her and more. Almost dying and watching him fight to keep her safe then that other thing with the lights… She shoved the thoughts away again and went with her instincts.

  The same ones you said you didn’t need to listen to when you were tired? her subconscious asked.

  She ignored it and wound her arms around his back, wanting to be as close as she could to him. He felt so good pressed against her. She wanted more.

  In and out, his tongue thrust into her mouth and she slid hers along his, dancing with it as she explored him. His taste was unique and she enjoyed it. Craved it, she found. Another anomaly she would think about later.

  Running her hands up and down his back, she lifted his shirt and lightweight jacket, searching for skin. His skin. And she found it, purring as she did. He moaned and bucked his hips against her as she continued with her journey of his body.

  Billy moved one hand to the waistband of her pants and popped the button free. She whimpered and shifted against the ground, wanting his touch on her. In her. He didn’t dally and soon his hand slipped below her panties and he had one finger in her pussy.

  “Oh…God…yes,” she cried around his tongue as she came. It had been so long. Then again, it could just be him as she’d never reacted this way to any other man before.

  “So tight,” he uttered, as he added another finger to her.

  Her belly clenched and she undulated against his pistoning wrist. He moved his mouth down and sucked on the side of her neck. She put one hand on the back of his head and held him there.

  Another orgasm neared and she curled her hands into claws, the one in his back digging into flesh while the one on his head pulled hair. He grunted and never slowed the pace of his hand inside her pants. The heel of his palm ground against her clit and she bowed up, back arching again as she flew once more.

  Above her, she saw the open sky through the tree canopy but that wasn’t all. They were still surrounded by the ribbons of purples and greens.