by D. K. Combs
This time, she wasn’t letting her father take her back.
Nay, this time, she was staying right where she belonged.
Rushing down the hall, she followed the sound of the men until she was out of the large hall and faced with the scenes right outside the stables.
Alec was there, his bright red hair gleaming in the early morning sun, and so was his father, who stood right beside them. Facing them and some distance away was her furious father, a stoic Connor, and a slew of men, and…her mother?
Her mother had actually come here to bring her back as well?
Feeling her footing falter, she debated turning on her heel and running back inside—but that would be the cowardly thing to do, and Alec needed her before his head was lopped off and rolling across the stables.
“Blayne!” Her mother was the first to notice her. Quicker than Blayne would have expected, Saeran Shaw dismounted from her horse and came running at her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. “Blayne, my love. Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
“What? No!” she said, aghast that her mother would think so. But then, what reason did she have to think otherwise? As far as her parents knew, she had never been safe with Alec. Not only that, but why would their precious daughter willingly run away with a man? Nay, she must have been caught—that was their reasoning, and that’s what they would believe until they were shown otherwise.
“Come with me, Blayne. Your father will handle this once and for all. I’ll get you home—“
“No,” she said, pulling out of her mother’s grasp. Saeran frowned, reaching for her arm again.
“Blayne, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t possibly stay here. It’s not safe for you.”
She couldn’t help it—her eyes rolled.
And, seeing the heated discussion between Alec and her father, she realized she couldn’t let her mother distract her any longer, regardless of how disrespectful she would sound or not.
“Mother. For once, please listen to me.” The doubt in her mother’s eyes was saturated. Blayne looked past her, then continued, “I snuck out behind Alec’s back. I wasn’t kidnapped when I went to The Callahan’s, I wasn’t dragged there by Alec against my will to help him settle a grudge… I started a fight with him, and snuck off. If anything, I’m not safe anywhere for the simple fact that I will always run off and do my own thing. Now, if you please, I need to see to it that my father doesn’t kill the man I love—or vice versa!”
Saeran was not an easy woman to stupefy, but it seemed Blayne had managed to do just that. Later, she would think back to this and regret being so short with her mother, but for now…she had more pressing matters to attend to, and it seemed she was arriving just in time because Kane had drawn his sword.
Pride swelled inside of her when she saw that Alec had not done the same. Lord, he didn’t even have a weapon strapped to him. He did, however, have hundreds of men at his side to back him…and her.
“Blayne, go with yer mother,” her father commanded. He didn’t even spare her a glance, his eyes so focused on Alec. She looked at him, saw the composure he retained, and her love for him grew tenfold.
Even if her father was trying to tear them apart, the fact still remained that Kane was her father—and Alec was man enough to respect that. When he saw her approaching, he quickly came to her side, ignoring her father’s warning growl of, “Don’t you dare touch her!”
She was glad for it. After last night, all she wanted was that connection with him. He strode to her with purpose, with pride; unashamed and unafraid. He was as proud to be with her as she was with him, and in that moment, that was all that mattered, her parents be damned.
“Why did no one wake me for this?” she asked him, raising a brow and putting her hand on her hip. He shrugged, ignoring everyone around them to take her other hand.
“Yer beautiful when ye’ sleep. I could no’ bring myself to wake you, my love,” he said quietly, leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. It was quick and swift, but it gave her all the reassurance she needed.
Especially since she could feel the shock from both of her parents.
Speaking of…
She turned to face the two of them. Her mother had returned to her father’s side—but instead of being angry, she seemed…weary, cautious. She stood in such a way that her body was half blocking his as if to prevent him from charging, and her hand was over his on the sword, lowering it.
“Father,” she said slowly, walking up to him. Alec stayed behind her, ever the steady force backing her. “Please, don’t do this.”
“I’ll do what I have to to keep ye’ safe. This…this thing between the two of ye’—it’s no’ good. It’s born of being taken captive and led to believe that he will love ye’ if ye’ stay and—“
“Father... I chose to be here.”
“Nonsense,” he growled. He moved away from her mother’s staying hand and strode forward, his face nearly red from all of his anger.
“Honey, no—“ Saeran said, taking him by the arm. “Do not do this—listen to her. Listen to what she’s saying.”
Tears of relief stung her eyes. Her mother, in one of the most important moments in her life, was taking letting her have a say and listening. Even if her father was refusing to listen, at least one of them was.
“Yer my daughter, and ye’ll listen to me, damn it! We are leaving.”
He shrugged off her hand and reached for her arm, yanking her to his side. The action wasn’t meant to be malicious, and she knew as much—but she tripped. Nay, more than tripped. She went right to her knees, the action so jarring that her teeth clattered together and a gasp was stuck in her throat.
That’s when everything went to hell and back.
“No,” she whispered, pushing herself up and touching her stomach. There was no way to know whether damage had been done, but the thought of it… “No, no, no. God, no—“
“Blayne!” her mother cried just at the same time Connor did.
That was the event that set everything in motion.
Alec charged Kane the same moment Saeran ran to her. She tried to get to her feet, but the tremors of panic prevented her from doing anything properly.
“Alec,” she said, the moan of despair the only thing she could come up with. Hands touched her shoulder, but they were dainty, not the hands of her man, not the hands of Alec. “God, please—“
“Blayne, what—Why are you—Did you hurt yourself?” The fall might not have looked bad to everyone else, but to Blayne…
She inhaled sharply, feeling as if she couldn’t get enough in. Connor came in front of her, grabbing her by the jaw and forcing him to look at her. In the midst of the chaos, he was the only one remaining calm.
“Connor, what do I do? They will kill each other and the babe could be—“
“Is he the one?” he asked, pointedly looking at the stomach she clutched. Behind her, she could hear her mother asking questions desisted to go unanswered, and then shouting at Kane to cease the fight. She vaguely realized that swords were out of the equation, and it was only their fists that did the work.
“Yes,” she breathed. “He’s the one. Connor—Connor, what if the fall—“
“Are you in pain? Cramping of any sort?”
She shook her head, sucking back tears. He gave her a comforting hug, offering support. “Then you’re fine, my lady.”
Alexander ambled over, having watched the fight for a moment or two. It seemed all of the men were spectating besides the two that were doing all the work. Lord, a few of them even cheered their laird on.
“What is going on?” her mother demanded. “Kane, God help you, take your hands off that boy!”
“I’m no’ a boy,” Alec shouted from the fray. Kane tackled him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.
“Donna talk back to my wife, welp!” Kane growled, pulling back his fist. Alec was quick to react and swiftly got him on the side, sending her father on his back with a gasp.
“Even
when he’s fighting, he has to correct everyone,” Blayne whispered, a tearful, relieved laugh bubbling inside of her. Connor patted her shoulder, sighing.
“See? Not all is lost. I fear that, regardless of whether the two of you are married or not, bairn or not, yer father will always brawl over you. He’s just that sort of man,” Connor said with a sigh.
“Alec is not much of a fighter,” Blayne said, holding her stomach. Though Connor had said she was alright and she believed him, the residual horror over something happening to their child was still present.
“What do you mean by that, Connor?” Her mother’s sharp tone had the two of them looking at her. Before Blayne could say anything, Connor grinned.
“Oh, didn’t you know? Our man Kane over there is beating the snot out of your grandchild’s father.”
“What?”
That was the screech to end all fighting.
Kane reacted to his wife’s cry and stopped mid-swing. Alec did the same, turning to her quickly. The pair of them had grass, dirt, and leaves threaded all through their hair, with dark streaks of mud all over their face and arms, as well as a few cuts.
Blayne glared at Connor, who shrugged. “I held off as long as I could. I figured, we’re all here, so…”
“But was now really the time?” she asked, distraught, watching the range of emotion on her mother’s face go from furious, to shock, to confusion, and then…happiness.
“Yes, I really do think now was the time,” Connor said, giving her a wink before walking away from the stables, leaving her to face her mother—and now, father.
In the back of her mind, she realized both sides of the war were still, her father’s men and Alec’s men alike, waiting patiently for an actual threat. Even through their laird’s fist fight, they hadn’t gotten involved—and that was just as well. The pair hadn’t gotten weapons involved, so the brawl had been respected, which meant that much less bloodshed—and that much less tension.
“Blayne,” her mother said gently, “are you…are you really with child? With Alec’s child?”
Her father froze and Alexander broke in with a jolly, “Aye! We’re going to be grandparents!”
“Blayne, I need to hear it from you,” her mother whispered, hands wringing in front of her. Her gaze switched between Blayne’s stomach and her face. “Are you with child?”
“Aye,” she said simply. She looked to Alec, then back at her mother, then nodded. “Aye, mother. I’m with Alec’s child.”
Kane’s knuckles cracked and he slowly faced Alec. “This time, I’m going to kill ye’.”
“My lord, where are ye’ taking me?” she laughed lightly, waddling forward. Alec kept a firm hand on her back with the other one twined with one of hers. “You know, I’m a mite too big for this.”
“Hush, my beautiful wife. Ye’ll never be too big.”
“You still didn’t answer my question,” she reminded him. He helped her over a fallen tree and on they went. If anyone had asked her what they were doing, she would say with all honesty, she had not a clue.
Alec had woken her from slumber in the dark hours of night, escorted her from the keep, and then promptly tied a cloth around her eyes in such a way that there was no chance of peeking through. How they had made it past her mother, she was not sure.
Since the arrival of the babe could come any day now, her mother had taken it upon herself to stay at the McGregors until the time came. Her father, even after several moons, was still sour towards Alec—but that was to be expected.
At least he had behaved for their wedding, which had been held only a week after that last fight between her husband and her father. Though it had been hard for him to give them his blessing, he had—but mostly on the account that her mother had threatened him with sleeping in the stables for the next year.
Kane Shaw did not give up what was his without a fight, and he was surely giving Alec one, but at least Saeran was on their side.
“My lord,” she admonished. “It’s quite rude to ignore your wife. Please, give me just a tiny hint?”
“Hmm, let me think about that for a moment,” he said, pressing a brief kiss to the back of her head. “Alas, after much consideration, I simply cannot tell you.”
“We seem to be quite a way from the keep.” She couldn’t help the worry in her voice. The midwife had warned her that any day now, she would be bursting at the seam with a bairn—and Alec had decided that on this night he had to take her through the forest on a secret adventure?
Her husband might be one of the smartest men in the Highlands, but he was not always the brightest.
She sighed.
“You’re quite vexing,” she muttered, glaring through the cloth—even though there was no point, since she had no clue what she was glaring at.
“Not anymore than you, my lady,” he said from behind her, chuckling. “Now, hush, we are almost there.”
“But where is there?”
His hand left her back to smack her lightly on the ass, and she gasped. “Alec!”
“What? I donna ken what yer talking about, lass.”
“Oh, you listen here, you darn brute—“
He stopped walking, and the hand left her back.
“Wait, wait,” she said, laughing, holding up a hand before he could remove the cloth. She put her nose in the air, cleared her throat, lowered her voice to mimic his, and started off with, “Now, just from the sounds of the wildlife around us, I would gather we are in the forest. There are familiar sounds that would suggest there is a body of water around, most likely a stream—“
“Ye’, my lady,” he said, as he quickly took the cloth off her face, “are ridiculous and rude.”
She gave him an impish smile. “I’m no more rude than you are vexing,” she pointed out with a nose to his finger. “Now, where did you take… Oh, Alec.” She trailed off when she finally saw where he’d taken her.
He grinned, stepping out of her way. “I’ve been wanting to take ye’ here for a while, lass. That night that ye’ started the fight and ran away, this…was where I wanted to take you.”
“It’s… It’s as if fairies could live here,” she whispered, wonder filling her at the sight before her.
The pool, buried deep in the forest, was the end of the same stream that she had sat by for days on end. The light of the full moon reflected off of the still, crystal clear water, giving it a mystical illumination. All around, fire flies flickered on and off. Tall trees surrounded them, giving the enclosure a private fence with just enough space for a small clearing.
Alec wrapped his arms around her from behind, tucking her firmly against his chest.
“My mother used to tell me they did, before she fell sick. Late summer nights, we spent most of our time here, catching the fire flies and telling tales. I’ve not brought another soul here since she passed. Clan members know this is a restricted area now, but… I figured it was time I showed ye’, so that when our child is old enough to come, ye’ know where to bring him.”
She had never known what happened to his mother, and had never wanted to press him. That he had divulged this much to her…that he was so willing to share this with her…tears of gratitude stung her eyes.
“You know,” she said, turning in his arms. Though her belly put quite a distance between them, she still felt as close as ever to him. “I’m glad I set that forest on fire all those moons ago. Without that, you probably never would have found me, and where would we be?”
“Lonely,” he said solemnly. “We would be lonely with a reason as to why.”
She smiled softly. “And why do you say that, my dear husband?”
“Before ye’… I believed everything was calculative and predictable. I believed that science and common sense ruled above all. Due to that, I never believed in ‘soul mates.’ Every time I asked my father why he didn’t remarry, he would say, ‘She was my soulmate,’ and I would shake my head at him.
“Now, though… I ken what he meant. I ken how importan
t someone can be to ye’ in such a way that the idea of craving someone else is simply impossible. I ken all of that, because of ye’, lass.”
“Alec…” Emotion choked her, rendering words near impossible.
“Aye, lass,” he murmured, staring down at her.
“I love you, my husband.”
“And I love you as well, my raven-haired beauty.”
She reached up as much as she could and took his jaw in her hands. When he leaned down to meet her half-way, her highlander’s kiss solidified everything she had come to learn about him—he was meant for her, and she was meant for him, and nothing was going to change that.
THE END
Also by D. K. Combs
Published Works
The Highlander’s touch
Atlantis: The King’s Return
The Bet
Her Assassin
Veteran Affairs
Coming Soon
Atlantis: The Warrior’s End
Eternal Chaos
About the Author
D.K. Combs is an author of erotica, historical, paranormal, and contemporary romance. She currently resides in the dessert heat of Nevada with her supportive husband, son, and of course, her German Shepherds.
Combs began writing long before the exposition of her most famous title to date, The Highlander's Touch. Writing has always been her passion and creating creatures with no true name and the women that fall for them is what she considers a great way to live. When not writing, Combs is reading. Her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing and baby snuggles.
For more information...
amazon.com/author/dkcombs
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