Desired by a Highlander

by Donna Fletcher

  “Worry not, Snow, I’ll have her back to you soon enough.”

  He let several oaths fly as he hurried out of the keep and headed in the direction Snow had directed. He paid no heed to the warriors who called out ordering him to halt and he knew he took a chance not stopping when they realized his hasty pace had him headed for the woods.

  He didn’t care. He would not suffer any delay in seeing his wife safe.

  “Halt!”

  Slatter ignored the shout and when he saw his wife just inside the woods, her face pale and her feet pounding the earth as she ran toward him, he took off. He had to get to her. He had to keep her safe. His heart pounded viciously in his chest and fear twisted like a knife in his gut.

  Willow spotted her husband and ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Her eyes sprung wide when she saw one of Tarass’s warrior stretch his hand out about to clamp down on Slatter’s shoulder.

  She thought they would hit the ground in a tumble of limbs, but they didn’t. Her husband grabbed the warrior’s arm and with what seemed like the strength of ten men flung him over his shoulder and onto his back, then continued to run toward her. Another warrior was almost on top of him and Willow hurriedly jabbed her finger up in the air and over, letting him know another was behind him.

  Even in her own flight of fear, she made sure to warn him, to protect him, to keep him safe whatever way she could. Love for his wife hit him at that moment like a punch in the face. He’d do anything for this woman, anything, he loved her that much.

  He cleared his head and focused on one thing, reaching his wife. He heard the footfalls get closer behind him and at the right time sidestepped the warrior who had run up behind him. His momentum wouldn’t let him stop abruptly and as he passed Slatter, he gave the young warrior a shove and sent him tumbling to the ground in a flailing of limbs.

  Slatter didn’t miss a step, he kept going, picking up speed, desperate to reach his wife and know she was safe and in his arms where she belonged.

  Willow stretched her arms out to her husband, desperate to reach him.

  From the time Slatter had been a young bairn, he’d always been fast and agile on his feet. No one could keep pace with him or catch him, but for the first time he felt himself far too slow. He needed to reach his wife, needed to get his arms around her and hold her tight.

  The footfalls stopped behind him, the fools probably realizing he wasn’t running away, he was running to his wife who looked like the devil was chasing her. When she stretched her arms out to him, though a distance away, he cursed beneath his breath and pumped his legs even harder.

  Willow flung herself into his arms as soon as she was close enough to her husband and he caught her, swinging her up off her feet and into his arms.

  She hurried her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his. “I saw him. He was in the woods. I thought it was you at first. He called me leannan just as you do.” She shivered.

  When Tarass’s and Ruddock’s warriors came up behind them, Willow shouted at them.

  “He’s in the woods. Go find him,” she ordered.

  They stood there staring at her.

  “Did you not hear me? The culprit who killed Rhodes is in the woods. Go after him.”

  They still didn’t move.

  “They hear you well enough,” Slatter said, turning to face the warriors, his wife tucked safely against him. “They just don’t believe you.” He walked right at them and they scrambled to get out of the way and let him pass.

  “He has plans. He’s not finished with you,” Willow said and shivered, recalling his echoing laughter.

  “That’s good, since I’ll be the one to finish him,” Slatter said not a hint of doubt that he would fail. “You are unharmed, wife?” He saw no visible signs of harm, but unseen harm could sometimes be worse than the harm you could see.

  “I’m unharmed,” she assured him. “He kept his distance, though I don’t believe it will be for long.”

  Though Slatter agreed, he remained silent, thinking what he would do to the man when he caught him. It was one thing to bring havoc to his life, but far different for his foe to approach his wife.

  “He needs to be stopped before another life is lost,” Willow said.

  Slatter agreed again, but there was something that troubled him. “What were you doing going into the woods alone, wife.”

  Willow saw no reason to keep the truth from him. “I went to ask the Slayer for help.”

  He stopped abruptly. “You what?”

  “Let me explain,” she said.

  “Definitely do.”

  She told him what she had learned about the Slayer and how the information had taken her into the woods. “So you see I don’t expect him to respond to me at all since it’s ridiculous to think that the trees carry the messages to him or that he’s a cohort of the devil. He may be a man of wicked ways, but he’s no more than that. And if Tarass can speak to him, then so can I.”

  “And what if he is a cohort of the devil? What will you do then? You summoned him so you shall owe him.”

  “Nonsense. Pure nonsense,” Willow said confidently.

  “Know this, wife,” he said and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “I’ll go to hell to rescue you if necessary.”

  “Of that I have no doubt, husband, though it does my heart good to hear you say it.” She kissed him this time and her heart thudded when he smiled his wickedly handsome smile.

  “I would take you straight to our bedchamber if Snow was not so worried about you or that we didn’t need to inform James of what happened.”

  “Later,” she whispered.

  “Sooner rather than later,” he whispered as if it were a secret and Willow laughed softly and kissed him again.

  Chapter 20

  “Why are you alone? Where is Devin and the others?” Slatter asked surprised to see Walcott when he entered James’s solar. “And why has it taken a week for you to get here if you’ve traveled alone?”

  “Devin wanted to be sure of your request and that he brought the group to a safe place. Also, a few in the group need to rest after their last journey before taking on another one. And Devin refuses to leave until all are well enough to travel, though he is appreciative of the herbs Willow sent along for Erna and the others.”

  “There is shelter, food, and safety here for your people,” James offered.

  “Is it a permanent home?” Walcott asked.

  “My sister Willow believes so, but it is up to Slatter to decide that,” James said, glancing at the man.

  “Let the group know they come to a permanent home,” Slatter said. “Now let’s get you some food and drink and a place to rest before you must leave again.”

  Slatter walked with Walcott to the door.

  “A moment, Slatter,” James called out.

  “I’ll meet you in the Great Hall,” he said to Walcott, then turned to James.

  “Is this a permanent home for you?” James asked.

  “Wherever Willow is… so is my home,” Slatter said and walked off.

  When he reached the Great Hall it was to find his wife talking with Walcott. He stopped and watched his wife. She was genuinely happy to see Walcott and talked with him as if he were an old friend. He could hear her ask about Erna, the young lass that broke her arm and Corliss the old woman whose grandson Crofton worried endlessly about, and about Pell, the old warrior missing one leg and endless others whose names she recalled better than he did.

  His wife grew more beautiful to him each and every day. More so today watching her with Walcott.

  Then there were the fresh memories of having woken early this morning and how he and Willow had made love slowly, exploring, teasing, laughing, and falling more deeply in love. It had been afterwards when she had settled comfortably against him that it had struck him.

  He didn’t want to live without this woman, not ever. He wanted her by his side every waking day until he woke no more. Fate had blessed him, first time she ever did, and
he wanted to make sure he didn’t do anything that would have fate take her from him.

  That meant seeing his problem settled. Unfortunately, his hands were tied not being able to go anywhere without being followed, not that it would stop him. He could easily leave and return without being missed. It was his wife’s safety that stopped him from doing so. He hadn’t let her out of his sight for long ever since the incident in the woods.

  The culprit that resembled him hadn’t shown himself again, though it was only a matter of time before he did. He had no intentions of his wife being the evil man’s second victim.

  Willow’s lovely smile forced Slatter to return it in kind as he approached the table, her outstretched hand reaching for him making him smile all the more. She never failed to reach for him, welcome him beside her, be happy to see him, and her eagerness to be with him always poked at his heart.

  “Walcott was telling me about everyone. It is good Devin waits until all are rested and well before traveling here. And I’m glad Walcott can take back news of what a fine home they are all coming to.”

  “They will be pleased,” Walcott said.

  “You need to get a good night sleep yourself and leave in the morning,” she said. “I’ll have a cottage prepared for you.”

  “I should leave after I eat,” Walcott said.

  “Nonsense,” Willow said, shaking her head. “You’ll do better with food and rest. Morning is time enough for you to leave. Besides, nightfall is not far off.” She turned to her husband. “Right, Slatter?”

  “My wife does make sense. A good sleep will see you more fit for your journey.”

  “Then it’s settled. I will leave you two to talk while I see a cottage made ready for you.” Willow gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “I don’t like you going off on your own,” Slatter said, cupping his wife’s waist with his arm so she couldn’t rush off.

  “Snow waits outside for me along with Thaw who favors the freshly fallen snow.”

  “Good, and don’t take long. It’s cold out there.” He kissed her lips and reluctantly let her go.

  Willow turned and gave a wave to him before hurrying out.

  Snow was falling again. It had fallen periodically over the last few days. There was no great accumulation, but most feared it was a promise of a large snowfall to come.

  She laughed when she saw the young bairns throwing snow in the air for Thaw to catch, the pup jumping up with delight and vigor to catch the flakes that melted as soon as they touched him. Snow laughed and looked as if she watched them, her head turning toward the different squealing bairns. But all she saw were shadows and when there were that many they often became a blur to Snow from what she had told Willow.

  Willow prayed every day for her sister’s sight to return and she hoped one day soon her prayers would be answered.

  “Snow,” she called out and her sister turned her head. “I’m in need of some help.”

  “He’s here. He killed one of the Lord of Fire’s warriors.” Slatter said after making sure no one was close enough to hear him. “And I’ve been blamed for it.”

  The piece of meat Walcott had jabbed with his knife and was about to put in his mouth halted near his lips.

  “He’ll strike again and see that it’s blamed on me.”

  Walcott shook his head. “Why?”

  “I wish I knew and I wish I knew how he avoids being discovered. I have no trouble locating someone I wish to find, but he has evaded all my efforts in finding him and it puzzles me.”

  “Have you searched the woods for him?” Walcott asked and finally popped the piece of meat into his mouth.

  “The woods are too vast of a place to search. It would be senseless to try.”

  “What will you do?”

  “Keep my wife safe and bide my time until you return with Devin. Then I’ll set a trap for him and make sure it’s one he can’t escape.”

  “What if he leaves before you can set the trap?”

  “He won’t,” Slatter said with confidence. “He’s a fool. He believes he has me trapped and that he’ll finish me here. That will never happen.”

  “What kind of trap could capture such a devious man?”

  “One that’s more devious than him.”

  It was a quiet night in the Great Hall, most remaining settled in their cottages. Walcott had gone to the cottage Willow had made ready for him after eating and gone directly to sleep, wanting to leave with the dawn on the morrow.

  “I’ll leave you to talk with your sister, while I go spend time with my grandmother. I’ll meet you in our bedchamber after that.” Slatter winked and planted a quick kiss on his wife’s lips, leaving his wife with Snow.

  He was gone only a few moments when a woman entered the Great Hall, her cloak dusted heavily with snow.

  “Teresa, is there something wrong?” Willow asked, seeing the worried look in her pinched expression.

  “It’s Brent, he gashed his leg today and didn’t tell me until it pained him so bad tonight he finally showed me the wound and it looks awful. Can you help him, Willow?” she all but begged.

  “I’ll get my things and meet you at your cottage.”

  “You are a generous woman, thank you.” Teresa turned, her steps quick as she left the Great Hall.

  “Don’t wait for me, Snow, go and sleep. Slatter will probably be in our bedchamber by the time I return.”

  The two women hugged and Willow went and fetched her healing basket and cloak, and stepped out of the keep.

  The night was eerily quiet as she made her way to Teresa’s cottage. Her footfalls didn’t even make a sound in the soft snow. The night shadows seemed to appear larger than usual, making one wonder if someone was actually lurking there watching. Willow thought, too late, that she might have been wise to let Slatter know where she was going. Normally, she wouldn’t think anything of being summoned to someone’s cottage late, bairns often choosing the late hours to arrive. And she had never felt the slightest bit fearful of walking through the village at night, but the incident in the woods had her thinking differently. She hurried along. The cottage sat more toward the middle of the village and she was relieved when she reached it, and Teresa answered her quick rap at the door, feeling foolish once inside.

  Extra sentinels had been posted to make certain her husband didn’t try to take his leave while they should have been looking for the culprit truly responsible for Rhodes’s death.

  She shook her head. She was safe in her village, though she couldn’t help but think she’d feel safer if Slatter was with her. She would remember that the next time she was summoned late.

  “You should have come to me right away when this happened,” Willow scolded, after having a look at Brent’s wound.

  Brent wasn’t a tall man but he was thick in girth with good strength.

  “I took care of it just like your mum did the last time I got a gash. I put honey on it and wrapped it,” he argued.

  “It’s good that you tried but this gash is deeper than the last one and needs to be tended differently,” Willow explained, not wanting to discourage him from ignoring an injury like most men did. “I’ll get it cleaned and wrapped, and you need to stay off your leg for a few days so it can start to heal.” She raised her hand when he went to argue. “Don’t bother to tell me you can’t. I’m going to speak to James and let him know you’re not to work. Besides, with this snow there’ll be little work to do.”

  Brent grumbled but finally agreed.

  It didn’t take long for Willow to finish.

  “It’s feeling better already,” Brent said with a smile as Willow slipped on her cloak. “You’ve got the healing touch just like your mum.”

  His words touched her heart to be thought as skilled as her mum had been. “That’s nice of you to say, Brent.”

  “It’s the truth,” Brent said with a firm nod. “You watch your step in that snow now.”

  Willow stepped out of the cottage to find the snow falling mo
re heavily and the wind having grown stronger, whipping sharply at her and reminded herself to pay heed to Brent’s warning and watch her step. She shivered, straining to see the keep through the swirling snow and having difficulty spotting it.

  She pulled her hood up and stepped away from the cottage eager to hurry back to the keep and her husband. The swirling snow didn’t allow for a hurried pace and she watched her steps as she wound her way back to the keep.

  “You called on me,” the deep sinister voice said.

  Willow halted and turned, but could barely make out a shadow alongside a nearby cottage.

  “Who’s there? I’ve called out for no one,” Willow said.

  “You sent your message through the trees,” the deep voice said impatiently.

  Willow locked away the gasp that shot up to spew from her mouth. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. “You’re the Slayer?”

  “What do you want from me?” he demanded.

  She didn’t have to think. She knew what she wanted and she didn’t hesitate to say. “I want the culprit caught who pretends to be Slatter so that my husband is freed of the false accusations brought against him, and I want the one responsible punished.”

  “You will owe me for this,” he said, though it was more a warning.

  “What will I owe you?” Willow asked.

  “Whatever I ask of you.”

  “That could be anything,” she argued.

  “You summoned me, therefore, you owe me.”

  “I owe you nothing unless I agree, and your terms are unreasonable,” she argued.

  “You summoned me, therefore, you owe me,” he repeated as if it was done and could not be undone.

  Frustrated, Willow stepped toward the shadow, wanting to confront whoever hid in the shadows. There was no one there.

  “I will collect my debt when the deed is done.”

  The foreboding voice seemed to be carried on the falling snow as it fell around her, and she shivered at what that debt might be. But did it matter? As long as her husband was safe, that was all that mattered. Besides, she refused to believe she had just spoken to a demon. It had been a man. A man who she would negotiate with when the deed was done, if it was done.