“I’ll never understand your excitement over that stuff.” Amber shook her head.
Leann gasped, “Can you imagine living in a castle and the romance of it all? Men were big and brawny, pure hunks.”
“I don’t know about you, girl, but I do know this. If you keep your nose in those old artifacts, you’re going to become one.” Amber stood, mumbling something about taking a shower before she left Leanna to her own devices.
Leanna studied the castles in the book. The paragraphs were filled with wonderful stories of old Scotland and the Lords, lairds, knights and even the ladies. “What I wouldn’t give to live in one of those and be a lady to some lord.” After a few minutes of reading, she closed her eyes and, propping the book on her chest, fell asleep.
The ringing of her phone woke her. Still groggy, she looked at her clock. It was eight. She’d been asleep two hours.
“Leanna, you have to get here. We’ve been robbed.” It was her boss’s frantic voice.
She slammed the phone down and jumped out of bed, about to have a panic attack. Who would rob a library? Leanna grabbed her shoes and her purse by the door.
“Where are you going?” Amber asked from her position on the couch, watching TV.
“We were robbed.” Leanna reached frantically for the doorknob.
Amber grabbed her purse and followed. “Wait, I want to go.”
Outside, Leanna unlocked her Explorer. Luckily, the traffic wasn’t bad, leaving the roads clear. and they made it to the library in record time.
She parked illegally and jumped out, running toward the door. “Who would want to steal some old junk and books in a library?” Amber asked as she locked the doors with the inside power switch and chased after her.
Leanna ran through the front door, spotting Paul talking to three policemen. “What was taken?” she gasped. In her mind, she had expected a whole room of police dusting for prints. What she found was three young rookies looking lost.
He stepped away from the officer and touched Leanna’s shoulders. “The scrolls. What on earth would anyone want with them?”
She studied the empty case. “Art thieves. They sell them to the highest bidder.” She sat down at her desk and put her head in her hands. “Why did they do this?”
Leanna looked up as tears filled her eyes. “They’re gone, Amber. They’re gone.”
Amber slipped an arm around her friend’s shoulder. Nobody could possibly understand Leanna’s love for the sixteenth century. Hell, she couldn’t even understand it, and she’d known Leanna for years.
The girls had met in high school. Amber was adopted, and her parents had been killed during a skiing accident. She needed a friend, and Leanna filled the missing void in her life. She’d always been a history buff, and Amber accepted her friend’s love for the past as a part of her.
Chapter Two
From the shadows, a man watched, blending in with the darkness. The scrolls really belonged to him, technically, so he should feel no guilt for taking them, but her tears...there was something about those tears. He shook the thoughts out of his mind. He'd had to take the scrolls, to find any information he could to locate Jewel. He watched the two women talking, one crying over the scrolls he now possessed. The other wasn’t visible to him, though he tried to see her.
He walked back to his high-rise apartment. He loathed the city and all the confusion. He walked back as quickly as he could. When he arrived back at the apartment he sat, reading the scrolls and noting down what he needed from them, but he couldn’t get her off his mind. Her beauty was different; there was a softness about her, a curious side, never had he seen a woman like her. He’d never met a lady who held such love inside for the past. Over the last few centuries, he’d become accustomed to females and their way of life. He didn’t care for this century at all. People killed each other for no reason. There were starving children, and the crimes were inconceivable to him. Why would anyone kill their child?
He had traveled through time, confiscating artifacts and searching for clues to Jewel’s whereabouts. He’d gone through many centuries, but back in the sixteenth century, only a few days had passed. How he missed his father, his brother and his land. He hated this place they called New York. It was horrible. He wondered how his father was, and if the soldiers were protecting his lands. As the eldest, he was in charge. His father depended on him.
He laid the scrolls down and walked out on the balcony. The New World was foolish. Their new inventions only polluted the lands. The animals were not allowed to roam free, and many he knew of were what they called extinct. Why would they want to live like this? The roads were congested with automobiles. His transportation, horses, were caged and some used for sport—horseracing. A disgrace to the natural beauty of the animal. The buildings went up and the stars disappeared. The noise from their automobiles made it damned near impossible for him to sleep at night and the fumes took away the smell of clean air.
He walked back inside and into his room to change his clothes. Why would anyone want to wear these things? He held up his tightie whities, as they were called. He found them restrictive. He sighed and took off his slacks, then replaced them with a pair of black jeans. After he was dressed, he decided to return the scrolls to the library. He had the information he needed; there was no sense in upsetting that poor girl any further.
Walking down the busy streets, he noticed the women doing double takes. He knew he was handsome, and he knew he could take any woman he wanted back to his apartment and fulfill their deepest fantasies. He was overly tall and broad-chested, his near-perfect skin deeply tanned, setting off his dark green eyes. He was deliciously sexy, and he knew it. When he was younger, he could have any woman. As he grew up, it just wasn’t enough for him anymore. Women threw themselves at him, but he rejected them. As a youth, all he cared about was getting a beautiful lass to bed. Now, he found it meant nothing. He wanted more. Yes, it drove the women near mad, but that was their problem, not his. He walked into the library, ignoring the policemen standing outside talking. The sound of the women’s voices brought him back to the present.
Slowly but cautiously, he moved over to Paul. “I saw on the news that you were robbed. I myself am a collector of masterpieces and purchased these.”
He reached in his jacket and pulled out the scrolls.
“Where did you get those?” The brunette yelled as she jumped up from her desk in delight.
Keith remained calm and collected. “I bought these from at a private auction earlier. You must realize how upset I was to discover they were stolen.”
The police immediately started to question him. Keith closed his eyes, and in his head, he put them in a trance, releasing any doubts they had in their minds.
The oldest detective spoke up. “There is really no way we could find the thief who stole these items. It’s a miracle he returned them. I’m sure he paid good money for them.”
The brunette turned to him. She was even more beautiful up close. Her eyes sparkled, and when it seemed she was thinking hard, her forehead wrinkled up. “We can’t repay you for these items.”
He gave her a sly smile. “I didn’t ask you for your money. Here are your scrolls.” He turned to leave, but as he was walking out, the redhead entered from the back.
“Where is your cell phone?” The blonde put her purse down on the desk.
He stopped in his tracks. After all this time, could it be her? His heart beat hard. It had to be her. She looked just like her. “Jewel, it’s you.”
She smiled at him and laughed. “Well, hello, that’s a name I haven’t ever been called. I’m Amber, not Jewel.”
He stepped back. She was alive, and he’d found her. He was about to grab her and take her back until he heard the voices in his head. ‘Tis not time yet. It wouldn’t work. She must return to Scotland of her own free will.
He shook his head. “You look so familiar, lass.”
“I don’t think we’ve met. Where are you from? I’ve never been called
‘lass’ before.”
He sighed. “I came from far away. A beautiful place where all this congestion does not cloud your thinking.”
Amber smiled and raised her eyebrows as if she thought he was a 'nut case'. “It was nice meeting you.”
He wasn’t sure how he made it back to his condo. His thoughts ran in all different directions. How could he convince her to come? He didn’t have much time. He had to think of a way to get her to return to Kolten. He wouldn’t let his father down; it was his duty to protect the family. Kolten couldn’t die.
She’d changed her name to Amber. He laughed at the similar names. He knew Kolten would have, too. How would he get her to return with him? She’d thought he was insane. She’d also thought he was sexy, he could tell. He knew his brother would have become enraged with her thoughts, but he didn’t have time for that now. He had to take her to Kolten.
* * * *
Leanna plopped on her bed, and as soon as Amber returned from the restroom, Leanna questioned her friend. “What did you think of that guy?”
She laughed as Amber stuck out her chest and spoke in a Scottish accent. “I come from far away. A beautiful place where all this congestion does not cloud your thinking.”
“He was so sexy. Oh, my God, his voice just made my body tingle.” Amber rolled her eyes.
“Did you check out his hair? I bet if he didn’t have it pulled back, it would reach past his shoulders.” Leanna smiled, thinking of him. He had a strong hold on her. Something about him just stuck in her gut, thoughts of him running rapidly in her mind. Long after Amber had gone to bed, she locked the front door, then retired to her own room, where sleep didn’t come easy. Her thoughts drifted back to the sexy stranger in the library. How was it possible that someone she didn’t even know could occupy her thoughts so strongly? At last, she slept.
"‘Tis time you came to me.” She heard his voice beckoning her, as if he had control of her body. Soon he was there with her, standing before her in nothing but black silk pajama bottoms. Her body tensed up as he pulled her in his arms and kissed her. His hands trailed down and inside her panties; the place that she wanted him the most. He gently planted kisses on her neck, her mouth, and her breasts, moving slowly over her body. He laid her down and entered her quickly, thrusting himself in and out of her tightness. She cried out in a mixture of joy and pain.
Then, he was gone.
The alarm clock beeped. Leanna rolled over and slammed her hand on the snooze button. She begged in her mind, “Oh, please take me back to my dream, please let me go back.” But she was awake and alone. Her body burned with his fire, and all she wanted to do was go back to sleep and feel him inside her again. The dream had felt so real. She rolled out of bed and took a much-needed cold shower, scrubbing herself as if to erase his traces.
After she'd cooled down, she dressed and found Amber sitting at the table eating breakfast. She grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down across from her.
“Damn, you okay?” Amber mumbled while chewing on a donut.
Leanna grabbed the newspaper and flipped it open. She felt Amber’s eyes burning a hole through her. “I can’t get him out of my mind. He’s so...”
Amber laughed. “So, Leanna, did you have a wet dream?”
Leanna blushed a little, and then rolled her eyes. “No!” If Amber only knew the truth. She was so hot for him it wasn’t funny. Never, had anyone, made her so filled with lust...especially after one meeting.
Amber stood and carried her plate to the sink. “You’re such a liar.”
* * * *
Across town, Keith slowly climbed out of bed. The sound of traffic below always awakened him. As he entered the shower, he smiled when the water hit his face. He’d entered her dreams, touched her, kissed her, made love to her and oh, how she had responded. After he bathed himself, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. His cock grew hard, thinking of the adventure they shared the night before. He felt like a young lad again. It had been a long time since a woman had made him erect and not been in his bed.
In his time, he simply would have taken her and she wouldn’t have asked any different. Now women had tempers and some disease called PMS. He knew nothing of the strange disease except they became puffy, bloated, and downright nasty. He would rather fight a dozen knights then deal with a woman with PMS.
Jewel, or Amber, had to come with him, but how would it be possible to bring Leanna? He laughed, thinking of how his father would react if he did. He walked to the window and opened the blinds. He watched the pouring rain and wondered where the two girls were. He closed his eyes and saw them.
Amber sat watching television. At first he had thought a TV was a good invention, then it began to bother him that people just sat around all day and stared at it. There was so much to do, and they watched talk shows, soap operas and violent movies. He did like the movies, but they couldn’t consume his time. He had to get her to go to Scotland. He had to get her to enter the caves and return to Kolten. He had to save his little brother.
Leanna entered the room, and he stopped thinking of Kolten. She wore only a towel. His cock grew hard again. He shook his head. “I can’t think of mine ole self right now.” He closed his mental connection, allowing himself time to relax, and set about getting dressed.
The next time he sat down to search for the girls, they were both clothed and leaving the apartment. He saw the words on the building. Las Palapas. Quickly he tracked them down, looking into the phone book for the address and directions.
* * * *
After a long day of cleaning house, dealing with the robbery and trying to comfort Leanna, the girls decided a great meal would help lighten the mood. They decided on their favorite Mexican restaurant and headed out.
Arriving, they were seated quickly, as they knew the hostess. Shortly after, Leanna saw Keith enter the restaurant and walk toward their back seating area. “Well, if it isn’t Keith,” Amber said, smiling at Leanna.
He gave both girls a sparkling smile. “Evening, ladies. How does this day find you?”
Leanna’s body stiffened. He wore a white, button up satin shirt with black slacks. His hair was loose and fell over his shoulders, as long as she'd pictured.
“You’re fine.” Amber laughed, and Leanna quickly spoke again. “I mean, we’re fine.”
“Are you two lovely ladies here alone?”
Amber reached for a chair and pulled it out. “Not anymore. Please, have dinner with us.”
Keith sat down and placed his napkin on his lap. “Thank you very much. It gets very lonely by myself all the time.”
Amber giggled. “Oh, come on. A good-looking guy like you can’t be alone for too long.”
“He would hit the roof if he heard you say that to me.”
Amber looked at him. “Who would hit the roof? Why would anyone care? I’m afraid I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“My brother, he would laugh. We often have battles over who is the ugliest.”
Amber laughed. “I can’t believe you fight over who’s the ugliest. If your brother looks anything like you, then you’re both crazy.”
Leanna watched him all through dinner. He had an aura about him, something that drew her to him. The man was so sexy and debonair. Her mind wandered to places it shouldn’t as she watched the way he licked his lips, the way he sucked his spoon. Her body ached in places she needed for him to touch, places she wanted him to satisfy.
After dinner, Keith walked them back to their car. The night was crisp and the wind chilly. He stopped as Amber took out her keys and disengaged the alarm on her small black car.
“Would you like a ride, Keith?” Amber asked, opening the car door for him.
“No, I’ll be walking back to me accommodations. I don’t like these things. I never trust something I don’t have total control over.”
“When you’re behind the wheel, you have control.” She jumped in and started the car. He held the door for Leanna, and then softly shut it a
fter she put on her seatbelt. “I’ll be bidding you ladies a good night.” He strolled away, both girls watching him leave with interest.
* * * *
Leanna sank against the seat. “He opened the doors, he waited for us to get our food before he ate, and he walked us to the car. Oh, my God, the man is perfect.”
Amber turned down the radio. “Something about him gets to me. I can’t put my finger on it, but he seems familiar.”
“Well, he’s the man I’ve been wanting all my life.”
Amber stared at her friend. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Leanna didn’t answer. Instead, she looked out the window, lost in thought.
* * * *
He smiled, thinking of Leanna. All night she’d envisioned him doing things to her. He had to admit he did put on a show for her. From the way he slowly licked his lips to the way he sucked on his spoon. She’d envisioned him sucking on her nipples. He saw the way her body shifted, could smell her heat and almost taste her.
Keith watched the moon, trying to get his bearings. “I don’t have much time.”
He closed his eyes, regaining control, and summoned his father. “I’ve found her.”
His father’s voice soon filled his head. “Bring her back, son, and do it fast. Their breathing is getting shallow. Please hurry back.”
He had to work quickly. He closed his eyes and thought of the girls. In his thoughts he went directly to Amber’s room, where she lay sleeping. He searched her room for clues on how to get her to come with him. A book lay beside her sleeping body. He’d almost forgotten her love for the sixteenth century. That was how he would do it. He would get Leanna to come with him to Scotland. One thing he learned about women these days was they traveled in twos. They even went to the bathroom together. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why.
* * * *
The Willing Warrior Page 2