She drew in a sharp breath as the bull charged her next, willing her hands to seize their shaking and struggling to take aim at the bull’s head. The first arrow hit the animal between its eyes, but the beast kept coming. She scrambled to prepare another arrow, but there was no time. The ground trembled beneath her feet. With a cry, she jumped sideways as the bull came at her, and when she came down, she hit a rock and pain shot through her ankle. She landed with a thud so hard that her teeth clanked together, but she kept a grip on her bow. The bull turned and started toward her again, and terror pounded in her ears and head. For the space of a breath, she debated trying to string another arrow, but the bull was almost upon her once more.
Relinquishing her bow, she scampered backward toward the hill, clawing and kicking at the grass, dirt, and twigs. She wasn’t going to make it! Her heart was beating so strong that her chest ached. Death was upon her, she knew, but then a war cry broke through the deafening terror and Lachlan fell from the sky.
Her confused mind left her momentarily befuddled, and then she realized he had come from behind her. He must have jumped. It was the only possible explanation for how he had landed in front of her, legs spread, and sword raised above his head. He looked like a furious angel bent on destroying Lucifer himself.
He moved in a blur, sword arcing above him and then hissing downward to stab into the bull’s side. The beast let out a horrible sound, and as Lachlan retreated, the animal charged again. Bridgette screamed a warning, but Lachlan’s sword was at the ready. Right as the bull was upon him, Lachlan dropped to his back and a cry of terror ripped from Bridgette’s lips. The bull was atop him, and then it suddenly stopped its forward motion and fell upon him.
She scrambled to her feet, swaying with her fear. In the distance, she saw Neil staggering toward them, clutching his side. The bull fell sideways then, Lachlan’s sword lodged in its chest, and after a long fearful moment, Lachlan staggered to his feet covered in blood. She stared in horror as he gave her a furious look and then ran to help Neil. Tears burned her eyes, and her hands shook violently as she went to her bow and collected it.
As she stood, she heard a terrible noise behind her, and her blood became ice in her veins. She whirled around to find the second bull charging her. Behind her, Lachlan screamed for her to move, but she’d not allow him to risk his life to save hers again. She drew her bow up swiftly, nocked an arrow, and released it into the bull’s eye. The beast swung its head wildly, white foam spraying from its mouth. It slowed its pace but did not stop. Her heart thudded hard, and she was unsure that’s what she was hearing or if it was the distinct thump of running footsteps. She nocked another arrow, raised it, and released it into the bull’s other eye, but he was upon her before she could draw her next breath.
His big, hairy body collided with hers and sent her flying backward onto the ground on her back. White spots flashed in her eyes as her breath left her lungs in a hard whoosh, and then the dark hair of the bull’s coat swam before her vision as it landed beside her with a thud. A scream tore from her throat, even as she realized the bull was dead.
Dead?! She’d killed the bull and saved herself and Lachlan?
She took a deep, painful, shuddering breath and released it with a shaky grin.
Suddenly, Lachlan fell to his knees beside her and gathered her into his arms. “Are ye hurt?” he demanded, his voice thick with emotion that sent a deep awareness of him from her ears to very low in her belly. Heat pooled there, and her insides clenched.
“Nay,” she responded, aware her voice was husky. “I killed the bull! Did ye see? Did ye see me?”
He set her away, his expression changing from one of concern to such fury that chills raced across her skin.
“Did I see ye?” he hissed, bringing his face close to hers as he clutched her arms and brought them both to their feet without so much as a grunt. “Did I see ye?” he repeated, his voice slashing through the silence. She’d never seen the man so angry in all her days of knowing him. “Ye defied me!” he growled, his tone low and throbbing with rage. “I told ye nae to move, and ye defied me!”
Shame and outrage collided, mingled, and burst within her chest. She yanked out of his grip, plunked her hands on her hips, tilted her chin up defiantly, and spat, “I am nae yers to order about, Lachlan MacLeod! I’m nae joined in pledges of a future with ye as Helena is, nor am I the servant wench ye betray Helena with, so ye may shove yer orders up yer arse!”
His eyes blazed emerald as his broad-carved face twisted into rage. She gasped in sudden fear and moved to scramble away from him when he yanked her to him, his fingers curling like a vise around her arms.
Lachlan’s anger thumped in his ears with every beat of his heart and stripped him of reason and control. He had to make her understand she couldn’t risk her life in such a way again. “Yer disobedience almost got ye killed,” he growled. “Ye kinnae be so careless with yer life! If ye had been killed—” Pain lanced through him at the thought and closed his throat to further speech.
God help him. As he stared into her wide, fearful eyes, he twitched with a sudden realization: what he felt for Bridgette was far more than mere desire. It was something deeper, truer, something he’d mistakenly thought he would never experience as a warrior. Bridgette MacLean had managed to invade his heart, and he was uncertain if he had the strength to banish her any longer.
Stark silence surrounded him and Bridgette. Lachlan was aware that Rory Mac had walked up, and he and Neil gaped at him now, as well they should. Lachlan was also too aware of Bridgette’s soft skin, the rise and fall of her chest with each breath, and her mouth, which was parted in shock—or perhaps awareness—at his words. Her gaze met his and locked, green ice to fire. He needed to release her, but he found himself curling his fingers tighter around her arms. He’d unleashed a restraint within him for the moment, and the need to touch her, to reassure himself that she was still here and living, drove him forward blindly.
“A horn to yer gut could have been yer death,” he said hoarsely. She tensed underneath his grasp and her lips thinned. Her continued show of defiance was more than he could withstand. “Tell me ye ken me.” The words sounded raw. “Tell me!”
Her body eased at once and understanding dawned in her eyes, and he felt certain then that she could see inside his mind. “I ken ye,” she whispered.
A firm hand came to his shoulder. “Release her, Lachlan,” Rory Mac said in a strong, clear voice.
God’s truth, it was as if he was suddenly looking at himself from a distance and saw what Rory Mac and Neil must have been seeing. What must they have thought of him? With a ragged inhalation, Lachlan released Bridgette at once. He was stripped of all defenses. She’d laid him bare without ever lifting a finger. He’d lost all control. Disgust washed over him and left him drowning.
He motioned to the horses in the distance. “Let us away to Dunvegan.” He left them standing there without a glance back. He mounted his horse and stared straight ahead as Rory Mac, Neil, and Bridgette finally came to their own horses and mounted them. Only Neil’s grunt broke the silence.
After they were seated, Lachlan took off setting them to a relentless pace. The need to reach Dunvegan and get distance from Bridgette gnawed at him. He was afraid if he even glanced her way and caught her eyes, he would blurt everything he felt. Vulnerability was new to him, and he didn’t care for it in the least.
Eight
The moment they reached Dunvegan, Lachlan dismounted without a word to any of them, handed off his horse to the stable master, and left Bridgette, Rory Mac, and Neil all standing there. Bridgette watched him walk away until she could see him no more.
Beside her, Rory Mac cleared his throat, and reluctantly, seeing no other choice but to acknowledge him, she turned to him.
“Dunnae fash yerself, lass. Lachlan has spent his life defending people, and he dunnae care for people risking their lives when he feels accountable.”
“Is that an explanation or an admonishme
nt?” she asked.
A wry smile came to Rory Mac’s lips. “Both.”
She nodded and rubbed at her neck, weariness settling in, which she suspected was as much from the bulls’ attacks as from her confusion regarding Lachlan. “I’ll see ye both at supper,” she offered feebly as the stable master saw to her horse. She had no intention of going to the great hall tonight, but she was not going to announce that. Both men offered farewells, and as she turned, she caught their exchange of puzzled expressions.
As she made her way to her bedchamber and plodded over to her bed to sit, her mind turned with confusion. She went through the day repeatedly in her head; each time ended with her seeing Lachlan fiercely angry and then full of fear. She was sure now he had been angry because he had feared for her life more than angry at her defying his orders. And the flame of desire had burned unmistakably in his eyes when he’d gripped her arms, but there was something else there—something gentler, more intimate.
A banging came at her door, but before she could even answer it, the door burst open and Marion charged in. She rushed over to the bed and sat down beside Bridgette. “I’ve just heard about the assault!”
So quickly? “How—”
“Lachlan,” Marion interrupted, exasperation and worry clear on her face.
Bridgette stared at her, her mind feeling slow.
Marion let out a sigh. “He’s in our bedchamber speaking with Iain. He went straight there, asked me attend to you—which I would have done anyway—then asked for privacy with Iain. What did you do to Lachlan?”
Bridgette gaped at her normally sweet friend, who at this moment looked rather vexed. She narrowed her eyes feeling suddenly vexed herself. She knew well Marion’s anger had the best intentions behind it, but she was rather tired of anger being directed at her today.
“What did I do to him, ye ask?” She could feel her temper starting to boil, and she was about to lash out at Marion when Marion nodded.
“Yes, what did you do? I’ve never seen such a look on his face. He looked…” Marion cocked her head. “Well, he looked defeated.”
All the anger drained at once and all that was left was confusion, which made Bridgette’s temples pound. She pressed her fingertips to her temples as she stared at Marion. “I’m unsure,” she whispered, and then quickly told Marion of Lachlan’s orders, her disobeying them, the bulls’ assaults, and how Lachlan had reacted afterward.
Marion grinned and then grasped Bridgette’s hands in hers. “Dearest, for one so very smart you are so very blind. He cares for you!”
Happiness infused Bridgette, but she ruthlessly quashed it and snorted. “He dunnae care for me,” she growled even as her mind grappled with the possibility and the fleeting moment of happiness and lasting sadness that its truth would cause. “For one, he’s made pledges of a future with Helena and plainly said it was out of desire, and for another, I saw him kissing Lillias in the courtyard last night. The man is lustful and wants to conquer one more woman. ’Tis simple.”
Marion arched an eyebrow at Bridgette but said nothing.
After a long spell, Bridgette began to squirm under Marion’s expectant gaze. “What do ye desire from me?” Bridgette asked angrily.
Marion simply arched her eyebrows higher.
“He’s…he’s bound to another woman!” Bridgette sputtered.
“Yes,” Marion acknowledged in a cool tone. “But that is a temporary thing and is not as he has led you to believe. Just as your notion of marrying Graham is not out of love as everyone believes.”
Bridgette frowned. “Are ye saying Lachlan dunnae want to marry Helena?”
Marion pressed her lips together as if struggling to hold in words. “It’s not for me to say. You must ask him.”
Bridgette threw her hands up in exasperation. “I suppose ye think I should ask him of Lillias, as well?”
Marion nodded. “You really should. That woman likely threw herself at him, and he was nice enough not to shove her away.”
Hope rose in Bridgette, which irritated her. “Even if he dunnae want to be bound to Helena and Lillias threw herself at him, I am still bound to a future with Graham.”
“How do you think you will be able to be married to a man you do not love while pining for his brother who has your heart?” Marion asked gently.
Bridgette sighed with disgruntlement. “Graham risked his life to save mine and suffered a grave injury because of me. I owe him, and what he wants is my hand in marriage, so I’ll give it.”
“I don’t think marrying because you feel guilty is wise. And I think Graham also wants your heart…” Marion gave Bridgette a pointed look.
Bridgette scowled at her Sassenach friend who did not totally understand the Scottish ways yet. “We Scots live and die by honor and guilt, Marion. It would be dishonorable of me to overlook what he did for me.”
Marion’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It would be wrong for you to marry a man you do not love. In doing so, you steal away the possibility of love for yourself and him.”
Marion’s words struck deep within Bridgette. She’d not considered that she would be cheating Graham out of a chance to find a woman who truly loved him. She had told him that her heart belonged to another, and he had said it didn’t matter, but had he really considered that he could find a woman whose heart belonged fully and completely to him?
“Ye’re right. I kinnae marry him,” she whispered, the certainty filling her.
Marion’s eyes widened as she hugged Bridgette. “Thank heaven you have finally listened to me and accepted the truth! I’ve been so worried that you would proceed with the marriage no matter what!”
Bridgette nodded. “I would have. I’ve been intending to. But I kinnae. I will be ruining his chances to find true love.” She’d been prepared to sacrifice her own chances, but she could not sacrifice his.
Marion nodded. “He’s going to try to change your mind.”
“Aye,” Bridgette agreed. “He’s going to be angry with me.”
“Yes, likely very. You and Lachlan will need to wait a spell before—
Bridgette scrambled to her feet and rounded on her well-meaning, hopelessly impractical friend who was ignoring the truth because it suited her. But Bridgette could not ignore it, even for a breath. “How do ye ken Lachlan and I would ever occur?” Bridgette demanded, borrowing Marion’s tactic of moments ago.
Marion bit her lip. “Perchance if Graham finds love with someone else, then Lachlan would allow himself to be with you.”
Bridgette snorted. “Marion MacLeod, ye’re a dreamer. I’ve given up on the fantasy of Lachlan and me, and ye need to, as well. Vow to me ye won’t meddle.”
Marion quirked her mouth. “But—”
“Pledge it to me,” Bridgette asserted again.
Guilt flashed across Marion’s face.
Bridgette groaned. “Did ye tell Iain of my feelings for Lachlan?”
“I don’t remember telling him,” Marion said, her fidgeting suggesting she either implied something to Iain or was lying.
Bridgette squeezed her eyes shut and silently reminded herself that Marion had done what she had out of love. “Dunnae tell Iain I’ll nae be marrying Graham. Please. I’d hate for Graham to learn it from anyone but me.”
“I won’t. I vow it,” Marion replied.
When Bridgette opened her eyes, Marion was standing. “I have to away to try to find some herbs that I desperately need but have thus far been unable to locate.”
Normally Bridgette would offer to help, but it was getting late and she was very tired. After Marion departed, Bridgette stripped to only her léine, climbed into bed, and fell immediately asleep. Before too long, dreams of Lachlan filled her head.
“I’d like to kiss ye to give ye a better memory,” Lachlan said, staring at her with heavy-lidded eyes.
“I dunnae think a kiss has that much power,” she said.
Lachlan’s mouth claimed hers in a kiss that stole her breath. He quickly moved from her
mouth to her neck and then to her chest. His lips brushed a searing path down her skin while his fingers deftly pulled down her gown. A cool breeze hit her bare skin and gave her gooseflesh, but when his fiery mouth came to her breast and he suckled it, she no longer felt the slightest bit chilled. She was on fire with how much she wanted him. Her back arched toward him in a desperate attempt to have him take more of her body into his hot mouth. His hands slid over her hips and down to the edge of her gown. As he raised it up, his hand glided between her thighs, only stopping when he touched her at her juncture. His fingers brushed light as a feather over her sensitive spot, and a cry of need tore from her lips.
Nine
Bridgette jerked awake, confused for a moment. The bright sunlight shining in from the window and the soft bed underneath her made her realize she’d slept through the night and once again had dreamed of Lachlan. A deep, pulsing ache filled her belly and lower between her legs. A blush heated her face. How long would the desire for him fill her body and consume her sleeping hours? What if she could never dispel him from her heart? Was she truly in his? She groaned at the questions flooding her mind and squeezed her eyes shut.
Suddenly, the words she’d been told by a seer back home, that she and Lachlan had a future, echoed in her memory. The woman had said that maybe Bridgette would have Lachlan’s love but maybe she wouldn’t. Bridgette had believed in the power of the seer’s visions all her life, as all her family and most people she knew did. She still didn’t think there was any chance she and Lachlan could ever be together, but she had a deep burning need to talk to a seer once more, to find out what the woman saw when she touched Bridgette. And Bridgette knew that a seer named Eolande lived at the Fairy Pools.
Filled with sudden purpose, Bridgette scrambled out of bed, hurriedly dressed, and made her way down the stairs toward the great hall. She intended to break her fast quickly before obtaining a horse and making her way to the Fairy Pools, but as she started toward the great hall, she saw Lachlan and Helena standing in the doorway speaking. Bridgette froze as Lachlan glanced her way. Even from the distance, she could feel his gaze raking over her. Suddenly, Helena reached up, grasped Lachlan by the chin, and turned his face back to her.
Wicked Highland Wishes (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 2) Page 12