Highland Nights

by Donna Grant

  It became difficult to stay in her chair. Even as Glenna and Moira continued to talk, she didn't hear them. Her focus was Gregor and the memory of their lovemaking.

  She swallowed as the image of his black eyes filled with desire and wanting flashed in her mind. He had given her pleasure before he had taken his own. Even the way he had touched her body had been almost reverent. His gentleness and passion brought heat to her body even now.

  What was wrong with her? Never in all her years had she been so emotional. It must stop. Now.

  "Excuse me," she said and rose from her chair. She couldn't leave the hall fast enough.

  Gregor watched her leave and debated with himself for all of a moment before he sat Ailsa down and followed Fiona. He didn't speak as he hurried to the stairs.

  Fiona's quiet attitude had bothered him since their arrival. She didn't look comfortable here and it worried him. He didn't want to be bothered by her, but he couldn't seem to help it. She had been in his blood since that first night they joined bodies.

  His eyes sought her out wherever he went. If she happened to be near him, he found it impossible to do anything other than stare at her. The fact she had ignored him only hardened his resolve to keep his distance.

  He stayed because Conall asked him to and because Conall was a friend. He didn't have many friends, so ones like Conall he made sure he kept.

  So, instead of leaving and putting as much distance as he could between him and Fiona, he stayed. But he would make sure it wasn't for long. Just long enough to finish the barn and see Fiona settled with her sisters.

  Besides, from the hints Aimery had given him, Fiona would find her mate just as Glenna had. Frankly, he didn't wish to be here for that. It was hard enough knowing he couldn't have her now, but it would be nigh impossible once she discovered her mate.

  He wondered why Conall had told him where Fiona's chamber was located, but now he was glad of it. She had fled so fast he hadn't been able to find her.

  Now, as he stood outside her chamber door he had to question he sanity. She wanted no part of him, yet he was going to put himself through all kinds of hell just to make sure she was all right.

  "What are you doing here?"

  He turned to find Fiona next to him. "I came to check on you. You ran from the hall so quickly I knew something was wrong."

  She sighed and pushed strands of hair out of her face that had come loose from the braid. "I just needed some air."

  "You don't like it here?"

  "I'm glad I finally got to see Glenna, but … "

  "You could have gone without seeing Moira," he finished for her.

  She raised her face and gave him a small, sad smile. "Aye. I cannot help it."

  "I understand."

  Suddenly the hallway where they stood became too crowded. He knew the instant she closed herself off to him. When her tongue darted out to lick her lips he had to stop himself from taking her in his arms and kissing her.

  He tamped down his growing desire and tried to think of anything other than the feel of her soft skin beneath his hands, her soft moans as he slid into her, and her cries of pleasure as he brought her to ecstasy.

  His gaze rose to her face and there was no mistaking the desire there. She might pretend she was immune to him, but she wasn't.

  Words weren't needed as they each took a step that put them in each other's arms. In all his years with women, never had one woman made his body tingle with just the thought of her. Yet Fiona did just that, and it scared the hell out of him.

  He crushed her soft body to his and ravaged her mouth. His tongue dueled with hers, taking all of her into him as her hands clung to his neck and shoulders.

  Blood pounded loudly in his ears as he pushed her against the wall and pressed his aching manhood into the juncture of her thighs.

  "Gregor," she whispered in his ear.

  He nearly died from the pleasure her lips gave him as they trailed from his neck to his ear where she lightly nipped the lobe.

  "If we don't get inside your chamber soon, I'm going to take you right here," he told her.

  She smiled brightly and reached over to unlatch the door. It was all the invitation he needed. He picked her up and carried her through the threshold, stopping only long enough to close the door with his foot.

  He didn't spare the chamber a glance as he sat her on her feet. She was all he wanted right now, and he would do almost anything to have her in his arms for just one more night.

  "I swore I wouldn't let this happen again," she said with a sad smile.

  "I'm just too hard to resist."

  She cocked her head to the side and raised a dark brow. "Maybe."

  "Or maybe," he said as he brought his hand up to her face, "you know we are good together."

  Her forehead furrowed deeply and she stepped away from him. "What did Conall tell you?"

  "Conall told me nothing. Why do you think he would say anything about you?" he asked.

  "Conall asked about us, didn't he?"

  She was becoming frantic. He had to stop this nonsense and get back to where they were. "He did, but I informed him there was nothing to tell. You have no need to worry."

  "You don't understand," she cried and turned her back on him. "I should never have given in the first time."

  Gregor reached out to touch her but stopped. Whatever bothered her, consumed her. She had no wish for his comfort. "You regret our lovemaking."

  Her silence was all the answer he needed. He walked from the chamber before he made a bigger fool of himself. Friend or not, he couldn't stay here any longer. Tomorrow morning he would inform Conall of his decision.

  * * * *

  Fiona waited. All Gregor needed to do was touch her and she would take comfort in his strong arms. She needed him right now, needed him more desperately than she was willing to admit.

  When she heard the chamber door close she never felt more alone in her life. If not the whole of Scotland was at stake, she would never have come.

  And she would never have known Gregor.

  That was the crux of the matter. Gregor. She wondered if anyone had ever refused their mate and what had happened to them. She would find out tomorrow when she went to see the Druids.

  Sleep would be difficult with her body on fire for Gregor, but she would manage it. She didn't have a choice.

  Laughter from the hall below reached her. Love and happiness filled this castle. Too bad she would never allow herself to share in any of it.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Fiona breathed in the fresh morning air as she stood on the castle steps. Clouds filled the sky threatening rain, but it was still a beautiful morning with the sun breaking through the dense clouds.

  "Are you ready?"

  She turned to Glenna. It was time to see the Druids. "Aye."

  As they set out, she found Glenna led them to a cave entrance. Upon their arrival yesterday, she hadn't had much of a chance to look around the bailey, but surely she would have noticed a large cave.

  She stopped. The dark expanse that loomed in front of her brought back the memories of the night their parents where murdered. She hadn't liked walking down the dimly light hall, and had always talked Moira into walking with her.

  "I was scared of it the first time, too," Glenna said.

  "I'm not scared. Just remembering."

  "You were terrified, darling," Conall said to Glenna as he walked up.

  Fiona turned to find Conall and Gregor beside them. Glenna had said nothing about them accompanying them.

  "But it wasn't the dark," Conall continued. "Do you know what she is afraid of, Fiona?" he asked with a big smile.

  Glenna playfully punched him in the stomach. "I will tell her, you oaf. You will only make it worse than it was." She turned to Fiona. "I was afraid of spiders."

  "Was?" Conall chuckled. "You still are."

  "I'm getting better." Glenna crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin.

  "Spiders?" Fiona final
ly asked.

  "Aye. I hate them. All those legs." Glenna shivered and rubbed her hands on her arms.

  Conall sighed loudly. "I guess that means we'll be going the long route."

  "That's right," Glenna said and took Fiona's arm. "You had to bring it up, Conall."

  Fiona looked over her shoulder at Conall who was smiling widely as he clapped Gregor on the back. Just what were they doing here?

  "How did you sleep last eve?"

  "Wonderfully," Fiona lied to Glenna. Thoughts of Gregor had kept her awake the entire night.

  "Good. I was worried about you."

  Fiona swallowed hard. Glenna had been worried about her? "Why?"

  Glenna looked at her as if she had suddenly grown horns out of her ears. "Because you are in a place you would rather not be, because you lost your foster family, because I know there are things that are bothering you, and because you are my sister."

  Fiona had never been so humbled in her life. "Even after the way I acted at supper."

  "Of course," Glenna said. "Whatever is between you and Moira can be fixed."

  "I don't want it to be fixed."

  "Why ever not?"

  "For too many years I have lived with the anger in my heart, Glenna."

  "Exactly. That's why you need to get it out so you can be happy."

  Happy. What was that exactly? She listened as Glenna described her life as they walked through the gates. Her attention strayed from Glenna's words when she caught sight of the forest.

  When Glenna steered her in that direction Fiona almost jumped for joy. She knew who lived in that forest. The Druids.

  Even though Helen had been a Druid and had taught her everything she knew, they had had to keep their identity a secret. Here, at MacInnes Castle, everyone knew what she was and still accepted her.

  But she knew that was only because the MacInnes clan had hidden the Druids for centuries.

  The music she heard yesterday reached her once more. She stopped and listened for a moment.

  "Beautiful isn't it?" Glenna asked. "It soothes me."

  Fiona nodded because words had become lodged in her throat. The music did ease away her anger and balance her somewhat.

  "I wanted to bring you yesterday, but I knew you needed your rest."

  Fiona couldn't help but smile at Glenna's enjoyment of life. How could MacNeil have raised this small, enchanting creature that was her sister? Surely she had been lied to.

  "What?" Glenna asked.

  "You are so happy and full of life."

  Glenna smiled and lowered her head. "And you wonder how I can be such and have been raised with MacNeil?"

  Fiona waited until Glenna lifted her head. "Aye." She followed Glenna's gaze and found her staring at Conall.

  " 'Twas him. He did it. He and Moira brought me to where I am today. He never gave up on me, even when I wanted him to."

  She watched as Conall looked up from his conversation with Gregor as the men slowly walked toward them. He smiled at Glenna and blew her a kiss.

  Fiona turned away and looked to the forest, but still that image of Conall blowing a kiss to her sister was etched in her mind. She could have that, too. All she had to do was open her heart to Gregor.

  It would be so easy.

  And the pain would kill me when he left.

  "Come. I cannot wait for you to meet everyone," Glenna said and urged her toward the trees.

  Fiona was glad to forget about Gregor and false dreams. She had other things to concentrate on.

  As soon as they entered the forest, calmness overtook her. Magic filled the air just waiting to be released. Helen had told her of this place, but to actually be here now and experiencing it was amazing.

  She ran after Glenna though the trees feeling younger and more carefree than she had in years. Glenna's laughter was her guide as she wound her way through the giant trees.

  Just as she caught sight of Glenna she turned and looked over her shoulder. Gregor followed close behind her, but it was the pain she saw in his eyes the bothered her.

  I did that. I put that pain there.

  "Come. The stone circle is just up ahead," Glenna called out to her.

  Fiona looked away from Gregor and stopped. Gone was the tranquility as her heart was once again filled with turmoil. She followed as Glenna and Conall ran through the trees.

  Their love was so strong, so true, that nothing could break it. They were bound in this life and the next. Forever.

  Then Fiona rounded a tree and came to stand beside Glenna and Conall. Before her stood the massive stone circles her foster mother had described to her.

  "It looks exactly like Helen told me it would," Fiona said and reached out to touch one of the stones.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Gregor walk up to join them. Despite what she wanted to feel, she was happy that he shared this with her. After everything they had endured, it was only right that he was beside her.

  Glenna sighed happily. "Let's go inside."

  Fiona's gaze briefly traveled to Glenna before coming back to the stones. In that short time, a veil had been lifted and she could see inside the circle.

  The circle housed hundreds of Druids ranging in age from the very young to the very old. It was pure paradise inside. While outside the circle it was overcast with the smell of rain on the air, inside the circle the sun shone bright.

  She stepped inside as Glenna tugged on her arm. It was then she noticed Aimery beside an old man. At least she thought he was old because of the long white beard and hair, but as she walked closer she saw that he wasn't as old as she thought.

  His skin wasn't wrinkled and his blue eyes weren't faded. He might not look old, but his soul was.

  "Welcome home, Fiona," he said was a kind smile. "We've been waiting for you."

  She remembered him instantly. "Thank you, Frang."

  "Ah, so you remember me?"

  "What I remember is that you looked … older," Fiona answered as she tilted her head to look at the Druid High Priest.

  "I've been trying to get him to tell me his age since I first came here," Glenna said.

  Frang gave Glenna a small smile and turned back to Fiona, except he looked behind her instead of at her. Gregor.

  "Step forward, Gregor," the high priest bid.

  Fiona couldn't hide the chills that swept over her as Gregor walked past her and brushed her arm with his. When she raised her gaze it was to find Frang staring intently at her.

  "You did your task well. I knew you were the right man to bring Fiona home," he said and handed Gregor a small bag.

  There was no mistaking the jingling of coin. "You were paid?" she asked Gregor.

  "I told you I was sent to bring you here."

  "But you never said you were paid," she argued. The fact that he wouldn't look at her only made her angrier.

  "It doesn't matter," Frang said and stepped toward her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come. There are many things we need to discuss."

  She allowed him to take her away. As soon as his hand had touched her, some of her anger faded. "How did you do that?"

  He laughed and guided her through the many boulders inside the circle. "Nothing gets by you."

  "You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

  "Helen has taught you well."

  She chuckled to herself and gave up. "Helen was an excellent teacher."

  "She showed you how to control your powers?"

  Fiona nodded. "At a very early age, in fact."

  "I knew they were the right people to raise you," he said with a smile.

  "Why didn't you take me in like you did Fiona?"

  He stopped and looked at her. "Everything happens for a reason, Fiona. One child brought into the circle isn't cause for gossip, but two? There was no way I could bring both of you."

  "So Moira leaving me that night was for a reason?"

  "She didn't leave you."

  Fiona wanted to scream. "Why must everyone argue with me? I was the
re."

  "You were meant to go with the MacDougal's, but enough of that talk. Let us speak about something else," Frang said. "Tell me of Gregor."

  "He brought me here," she said and refused to say more.

  "He is your mate. You know that, yet you deny yourself and him."

  Her head jerked towards him. "How do you know this?"

  "You are easy to read. Your emotions are like Glenna's, there for the world to see. If one knows how to look."

  His wisdom did little to soothe her. "You don't approve of my denying him as my mate."

  "You know I don't. One must never deny their mate."

  "Why? Surely there have been people who did."

  Frang sighed and sat on a small boulder. "Aye, there have been. I don't think you are going to like what I'm about to tell you."

  She waited for him to continue. "The confusion you feel will only grow. You will never be content with anything or anyone. You will long for death and become malicious."

  "I have dealt with most of that for ten and eight years. I will be fine."

  He watched her carefully. "If you think so."

  "Fiona," Glenna called.

  "Go to your sister," he told her.

  Fiona hurried to Glenna. She was afraid if she stayed she would learn more than she wanted to.

  Frang watched Fiona leave. They had a tough road ahead of them. He never imagined her to be so bitter.

  "Why didn't you tell her what would happen to Gregor if she doesn't acknowledge him as her mate?"

  Frang didn't turn towards Aimery. He had known the Fae had been there the entire time. "It wasn't the time. She needs to find out slowly. To rush her would be a grave mistake."

  "Something is happening."

  His tone alarmed Frang. He turned toward the Fae. "What is it?"

  "The Evil One is near. Very near and Fae have gone missing."

  "What?"

  "My queen has been difficult to reach. Watch yourself, Frang. I have a feeling the future is about to be changed."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Gregor stood away from Conall and Glenna. He loved being with the Druids and experiencing the magic they lived by, but he didn't feel as though he should be here.