Highland Vengeance

by Saydee Bennett

  “Camden, I love you too and I am not ashamed. I use to think that love made one weak but now I know that it has only made me stronger. I stopped fighting these feelings for you long ago because I found it was useless. I love every moment with you. I never thought I would be allowed to be my true self but with you, I feel you make me even better. I do love you with all my heart Laird Sinclair,” Olivia smiled.

  The warrior and his wife continued to share their feelings of love and desire with one another, each wanting to make sure the other understood fully how they truly felt. Camden climbed into the bed and lay next to his wife while he explained all that had happened since he had been taken captive. He and Olivia kept their hands laced together and she felt his thumb gently rubbing the palm of her hand. This soft touch was unexpectedly intimate and she wanted to stay like this forever. She soon had another question for her husband.

  “It is obvious from your discussion with Broderick that Malcolm still lives. Did he get away?” She asked.

  “Do not concern yourself with Malcolm.”

  “Camden, I am exhausted and I do not wish to fight with you after I have just spoken words of love but I will if you do not answer my question.”

  “No Olivia, we did not find him but we will. Now, you will go to sleep and not think of him again, do you understand?” He ordered.

  She smiled slightly at her husband. “Yes, my laird.”

  For the next several days, in order for her wound to heal, Olivia was not allowed out of her bed unless it was necessary. Camden helped to change the bandage on the fresh stitches and the gash was already getting better. With the fever gone, Olivia’s mind was clear and she insisted on being a part of the plan against Malcolm. Every time her husband was in the room, the warrior woman would begin discussing ways to find Malcolm and destroy him. Each time she brought the subject up, Camden would smile politely and nod to Olivia in agreement before kissing her mouth to distract his wife from her insane ideas.

  As the days went by, Maggie recovered quickly and helped Olivia to heal too by keeping her entertained. The new sisters became friends with ease and Olivia was anxious to teach Maggie how to defend herself from an attack. Lady Sinclair especially enjoyed their visits together when Maggie would share stories about Camden from when he was younger. Olivia began to realize that her husband was about as stubborn and fearless as she was as a child. She thought it was interesting that two people so perfect for one another, grew up worlds apart and then came together through tragedy.

  Olivia was getting restless in her chamber and she could swear that the walls were closing in around her. She stood at the window with the tapestry pulled back, watching the white snowflakes fall in the dark sky. The countess knew Camden was busy restoring his holding back to order and repairing the damage that the MacKay’s had done but she was a bit hurt that her husband had not been to their chamber to see her today. She took a few deep breaths of fresh cool air and turned as the door in her room opened. Seeing Camden standing there, she wondered if he could somehow read her mind.

  The laird looked radiant to Olivia and she decided that he had never looked so wonderful than at that moment. He was home and he had successfully reclaimed the Sinclair Castle and saved his clan. Camden’s bronzed skin shimmered in the firelight and his powerful muscles bulged from his plaid. Olivia instantly wanted to feel every part of his toned body and she wanted him to return the touch.

  “What are you doing out of bed, wife?” He asked her.

  “Waiting for you to come to me so that I may kiss every inch of your body,” she admitted.

  Camden laughed deeply. “As enticing as that sounds my love, you will obey my orders and return to bed.”

  “I have my own orders for you Laird Sinclair, you will join me in this bed and not leave until I have thoroughly satisfied you,” she said with a husky voice.

  “Olivia, you are not completely healed and I will not risk your stitches tearing,” he reminded.

  “It is not so sore my laird, in fact, I thought it was time for the stitches to come out so I removed them earlier.”

  “You what!” He raged and began to cross the room towards her.

  “Stop!”

  “Olivia this not a game, let me see your wound,” he insisted.

  “You have to step back from me my laird, I cannot think when you come close to me.”

  Camden moved a step back and continued to glare at his wife. “On with it, wife.”

  Olivia had her husband right where she wanted him and she slowly began unpinning her long auburn hair. She leisurely untied the ribbon at the front of her sleeping gown and then removed the thin slip from her body revealing her beautiful glowing skin. Olivia only wore her silk stockings that came to her thighs and she turned a bit to the side to show her husband the healing wound.

  “You see husband, it is not so bad,” she whispered.

  My God, he thought, how could she have gotten even more breathtaking? Her breasts seemed fuller and he barely noticed the cut on her narrow waist. Her color had returned, she was healthy again and his wife had come back to him. Camden had a difficult time trying to think of something to say when he saw her long hair teasing her nipples into hardened buds. Every movement she made seemed deliberate and calculated as she taunted her husband to touch her body.

  “Olivia I do not want to hurt you,” he reminded.

  “We will be careful husband.”

  Laird Sinclair was already past the point of no return with his wife. He would take her now but he had to make certain that they did not open the wound from their lovemaking. Camden quickly removed his plaid and threw it on a chair beside the bed. As he stepped towards Olivia, she grabbed hold of his tunic and pulled it over his head. The moment their eyes found one another, Olivia felt that all was right in the world. This is where she always wanted to be and the two let their mouths explore wildly with each other.

  He gently lifted Olivia and laid her on the bed without breaking their passionate kiss. Their tongues danced together in an intimate foreplay and Camden let hands roam to find her large supple breasts. He balanced himself carefully so that we would not put any weight against her injury and began moving his mouth down her neck to the valley between her breasts. Olivia grasped his golden hair in her fingers and moved Camden’s mouth to find her nipples. The intense sensation ripped through her and he teased and played with this sensitive area.

  Listening to his wife moan in pleasure was causing Camden to lose control quickly and his need to feel her warmth was torturing him. His mouth found hers once again and his tender assault on her senses made Olivia become aggressive. She grabbed his narrow hips and pulled him down hard between her thighs. Camden tried to stop her and but Olivia moved to make his erection feel her heat. That was it, she had won the battle as the laird lost his power to her and sank deeply inside his wife. The need to fulfill Olivia’s desire took over and Camden moved in rhythm while his mouth continued to express his love.

  The husband and wife each found their release with Olivia calling out Camden’s name in the first rush of ecstasy. They both panted for breath and Laird Sinclair moved off his wife’s body quickly to examine the wound and made sure nothing was wrong. Her cut was perfectly sealed and Camden arrogantly thought his wife looked thoroughly pleased. Olivia lay in the bed with her body glistening with sweat as she realized that it was first time since she had married Camden, that they made love without her fearing anything. She had no worries and felt free of any cares that she had before.

  “Camden, may I be honest with you?” She asked.

  “You will always be honest with me.”

  “I do not wish to prove myself to you anymore. I no longer feel the need to do so and I am not afraid if you think I am weak. When you make love to me, nothing else matters in this world and I want to spend my life pleasing you. If that means quilting you tapestries by the hearth every day, then I will do so. I love you Camden.”

  Laird Sinclair laughed out loud and turned Olivia to
face him.

  “Wife, I believe you are far too late to stop proving yourself. Neither I, nor anyone else could ever think you are weak my love. I did not fall in love with a fragile English woman. The woman that I love is feisty and stands up for herself. She climbs trees barefoot and kills her enemy with a single arrow. She leads the bravest Highland warriors into battle and gives her husband sass with every comment. That is the woman I fell in love with.”

  Olivia smiled at Camden and his heart began to pound. Lord Almighty that woman could stop an army with that smile, and oh, how he had missed it. Camden chuckled softly as he stared at his wife.

  “It is good you love my sass husband because you will get plenty. That was a beautiful little speech you gave but may I ask what you thought was so damn funny?” She insisted.

  “Just the thought of you sitting by the hearth making me a tapestry,” he laughed again.

  “I will have you know that I can quilt very well Laird Camden Sinclair!” She boasted.

  “I am sure you can wife, there isn’t anything I believe you cannot do but why don’t you save the knitting for when you are carrying my baby. Then I will not have to worry about you falling out of a tree.”

  “Your baby?” She blurted out.

  “Yes my love, someday you will carry my baby. Does that bother you?”

  “Oh no, it does not bother me at all. I was just thinking of my sister-in-law Ella. I told her I would come to England to help when her baby is born.”

  “When is her time?”

  “I am not sure but I must write to her and find out. I will probably need to leave soon and I will be gone for quite a while,” Olivia explained.

  “There is no way you will travel on a horse until you are completely healed.”

  Olivia began running her finger along Camden’s chiseled chest and then batted her long eyelashes at her husband.

  “But husband, I believe my horse would be far more gentle of a ride than you were moments ago,” she coaxed.

  “You can stop looking at me like that wife, using your womanly ways on me will not work. You are not leaving here until you are healed. And, I do not believe I will ever be as gentle as your horse my love, so get use to it.”

  “I suppose we should not argue until I know when Ella needs me. I do miss her awfully and my brother. You will let me go home won’t you?” She asked.

  “Wife, this is your home but I will let you visit your brother’s home only if I accompany you with my guard.”

  Olivia smiled, curled her body close to her husband’s chest and closed her eyes to sleep.

  Camden was curious, his wife always countered with something. “You have nothing to add?”

  “Camden I cannot wait for you to meet my family,” she sighed.

  The laird laughed quietly and then fell asleep holding his perfect treasure in his arms. Olivia could not stop replaying the words Camden had said to her earlier. He loved her as much as she loved him. Lady Sinclair slept comfortably knowing that soon, she would travel with her husband and his guard safely to England to see her family. As her mind began to wander deep into the world of fantasy, Olivia found herself in the same dream she had while she was unconscious with fever.

  The countess was on the grand terrace of her brother’s castle in England and everyone she loved surrounded her. Her husband was holding Olivia tightly as she watched the giant Highland warriors trying to fit in the small English chairs. Her niece and nephew played in the colorful garden and everything was just as before but without the pain burning in her side.

  As she stared out from the terrace, the sky began to turn gray and she could no longer see the children playing in the garden. Olivia frantically looked for them as the flowers started to freeze over with ice and everything turned dark and dreary. She had never seen the forest surrounding the land look eerie and haunted, and she prayed her niece and nephew had not gone in there. Olivia turned to have Camden and his guard help to find the children but none of them were there. She could not find Garrison or his wife, Ella and this dream was turning into a nightmare.

  Then she heard his voice. Olivia would never forget his evil voice, especially his frightening laugh.

  “My English beauty, did you think to get away from me so easily?” Malcolm asked.

  Olivia tried to respond but found she had no voice. She tried to yell out but made no sound.

  “That’s right Olivia, try to scream. I want to hear you cry out when I take your body. Fight me, English beauty, with those powerful muscles and make me hold you down. I like to work for my reward,” Malcolm laughed.

  The closer he moved towards her, the harder it seemed for Olivia to get away. He grabbed her by the wrists and every second his mouth got closer to hers. Finally, Olivia cried out into the dark night.

  “Camden!” She screamed.

  “Hush, my love, you are safe. I am here,” Camden said as he touched her face softly with his fingers.

  Olivia was fully awake now and aware of what had happened.

  “He has to die. The bastard will not stop torturing my mind and I have to end it,” she whispered.

  Camden could feel her heart racing and he instantly knew she spoke of Malcolm. She was right and the laird knew it. He had to get rid the filthy MacKay man once and for all.

  “Olivia, close your eyes. We are safe. We will find him, I promise. I love you.”

  “I love you too Camden,” she whispered.

  The two held each other closely but Olivia could not close her eyes. The fear of seeing Malcolm again in her dreams had her restless and she laid there until the morning light thinking of ways to find the MacKay man.

  In a barn somewhere in the lowlands of Scotland, Malcolm buried himself in the hay to stay warm through the night. It had been almost two weeks’ time since the night his holding was attacked and the laird lost everything. The sinister man had made his way from the Highlands by stealing a horse and foraging from other clans. He was furious that no one would protect him or let the MacKay man hide amongst them. It seems everyone feared the wrath of Camden Sinclair and his elite guard and no one wanted to be feuding with that warrior. Malcolm had heard from the lowland farmers that Lady Sinclair had lived and recovered with their clan in the Highlands. This only drove the rogue man even more mad for now Camden had everything.

  All of the misery that Malcolm experienced was because of Laird Sinclair. The small error of not killing the man on the night of the wedding massacre had completely changed the course of Malcolm’s future. He was filthy and cold, lying in the hay with the animals and the villain vowed revenge on Camden for bringing him down. Malcolm knew there was only one way possible for him to get even with the Sinclair laird and that was to take his English beauty.

  Malcolm could not go after the Sinclairs or the land for that would be entirely foolish. The MacKay man had no army to battle with and not a clan in the Highlands would be an ally to him. His only option was the woman. The capture of Camden’s wife would be a double reward for Malcolm too. First, he would enjoy the wench in all her tempting beauty with his own body. Having her sinuous body under his would be an intoxicating and exhilarating prize for his patience. Then Malcolm would destroy Laird Sinclair’s most valuable possession and leave the man miserable without her.

  Chapter Twelve

  The Highlands were definitely beautiful and when she had arrived in the earlier winter months, Olivia enjoyed the chilly weather but now she wondered if the snow would ever stop falling. She was truly grateful for the plaid she wore because it helped her to stay warm throughout the day. The pace of the Sinclair clan had not slowed with the cold weather and the people carried on in their usual manner as if nothing had changed. Olivia decided their blood must be thick as molasses from birth in order for them to ignore the frosty air. Lady Sinclair hoped that she too, would get use to the blustery conditions for she hated being cooped up by the hearth all day to stay warm.

  At night, Olivia was kept warm by her husband’s heated touch. The tw
o lay skin to skin after their passionate lovemaking and never once did Olivia become cold. It had been two weeks since she had sent a letter to her sister-in-law Ella and Olivia was anxious to receive word back from her. Camden and his men were prepared to leave, as soon as Olivia knew when the babe would be coming. By her estimations, Olivia thought Ella would be due in early spring but she wanted to be there early to help her before the birth. Her brother Garrison had two small children from his first wife before she passed away but this was Ella’s first time to give birth and Olivia wanted to be there for support.

  Olivia watched out the window of the Sinclair holding as the messenger approached Camden in the courtyard. She became instantly excited and hoped it was news from England. From the scowl on Camden’s face, Olivia knew something was wrong and she raced outside to question her husband.

  “My laird, what is it? Is something the matter?”

  “It is not your concern wife, you need to go back inside before you catch chill,” he answered.

  “Have you not learned yet husband, that you might as well tell me because I am going to continue to ask you until I find out what is wrong. And, I am not so fragile that I cannot be out in the cold for more than a few moments without catching a fever.”

  Camden sighed and knew his wife was right, she would pester him until the stubborn woman got the answer she wanted. He would need to tell Olivia of the king’s request anyway so he might as well not fight her.

  “I need to speak with my men first and then I will explain everything to you. Please go back inside and I will find you shortly,” he asked.

  Olivia smiled at her husband. “Thank you my laird.”

  The Sinclair laird watched his wife go back inside the castle and he realized how he could never deny Olivia anything. She merely had to ask and he would grant her request. Camden wished that he had better news to give his wife but at least now, they would begin heading towards England. Laird Sinclair instructed his guard to prepare to leave at first light the next morning. Broderick and his clan were still at the Sinclair holding and planned to stay there until spring. The new Kincaid clan could not go back to their own land until the frozen earth had thawed and they could provide for themselves. Camden also had little soldiers of his own and still needed help protecting the Sinclairs.