Dangerous Highlander

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Cara sighed and snuggled beneath the blanket. She had been having a delicious dream where Lucan was in her chamber watching her sleep, his sea green eyes filled with heat, with need . . . with hunger.

She wasn’t sure what woke her, but as she turned onto her back and saw the chamber was cloaked in darkness, she flung off the covers. Panic wrapped its iron manacles around her, turning her blood to ice and causing her heart to pound in her chest.

A startled cry passed from her lips when she saw that not even an ember burned in the hearth. For a moment she could only stare at the candles, her eyes filling with tears. The candles didn’t burn out and neither had a gust of wind blown them out. Nay, someone had extinguished them.

It was too dark, too still. Anything could be in the chamber. One of the Warriors or even a wyrran. The prospect sent a shiver down her spine. Either she could sit in the bed and wonder or she could light the candles again.

She started to rise from the bed when something heavy and solid landed on top of her, trapping her against the straw mattress. She fought whatever it was, raking her fingernails down his arm, hitting him, and even trying to bite him.

She could hear a voice but couldn’t make out the words. And she didn’t want to. There was no way the monster on top of her was going to kill her without a fight. She kicked and opened her mouth to scream for Lucan.

Suddenly a hand captured her wrists, jerking them over her head while another hand clamped over her mouth. She stilled, fear clawing at her belly. He leaned close, his breath against her neck. She turned her face away and closed her eyes.

“It’s me, Cara. It’s Lucan.”

She sagged into the bed, relief flooding her. He removed his hand, his fingers brushing her lips in a soft caress. Cara became aware of his body between her legs, his hard arousal against her sex.

“It’s too dark,” she whispered. “I need the light.”

He shook his head, his hair brushing her cheek as it fell on either side of his head. “There is someone at the village. We cannot chance them seeing a light and coming here.”

She understood what he said and why he had snuffed out her candles, but she was in the grip of terror and had to have the candles burning. “Please, Lucan. Let me up. I’ll light only one candle. I need it.”

“Cara—”

“Please,” she begged when she heard his firm voice.

“Nay.”

“I have to have it.” She pulled her arms to try to break out of his grip. He held her firmly without hurting her, but it only infuriated her. “Lucan.”

He moved his other hand with the first to hold her. “Cara. I’m with you. Nothing is going to hurt you.”

But she knew firsthand what kind of things lingered in the dark. They were there, she knew it. Only the light would prove that she was safe.

Lucan gritted his teeth when he saw Cara was beyond listening. She wouldn’t stay still long enough for him to gather her in his arms and take her from the chamber. She would fight him every step of the way, and he didn’t want her hurt. So he did the only thing he could think of to calm her.

He kissed her.

The moment his lips touched hers, his hunger rushed back with a vengeance. It had never gone away, but touching her again, kissing her again, had only doubled his need.

He ran his tongue over her lips seeking entry. Her body was rigid, but she wasn’t fighting him any longer. She issued a breathy moan that made his rod throb with need. Her body relaxed, her back arching as she leaned up to deepen the kiss.

Lucan slid his tongue past her lips and groaned when she touched her tongue to his. He was only going to kiss her to quiet her, but he should have known it for the folly that it was.

He deepened the kiss, losing himself in her soft, willing body. Her legs shifted, her feet running along the backs of his legs and bringing his raging cock against her. He could feel her heat, the molten desire that called to him.

His hands loosened their hold on her wrists and intertwined his fingers with hers. The kiss turned frantic, heated. The hunger consumed him, demanding he take her and sink into her moist heat to claim her as his own.

He ground his hips against her, the friction causing him to moan and repeat the movement. Her nails dug into the backs of his hands as she arched her back.

Lucan caressed his hands down her arms to her sides, his fingers grazing the undersides of her breasts. Her hands slid into his hair. He sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and ran his tongue over it. She groaned and set his blood afire.

He pinched her nipple and heard her gasp turn into a moan. He longed to pull the taut bud between his lips and suckle until she writhed against him with a hunger that matched his own.

With his other hand, he caressed down her side to the indent of her waist and over the swell of her hip. When his hand met warm skin, he smiled and slanted his mouth over hers.

In her struggle to be free, her gown had gathered at her hips, exposing her legs and sex to him. Just knowing it was only his clothes that separated them made sweat break out over his skin.

He skimmed his hand over her leg and under her plain white nightgown. The touch of his skin on her hip made his blood, already heated, boil. His thumb grazed the smooth skin between her thigh and the curls that hid her sex.

“Lucan,” she murmured between kisses.

He could take her. She wanted him, possibly felt the same hunger as he did. He pushed the hem of her gown higher, rocking his swollen rod against the silky flesh of her sex.

The distinctive whistle he and his brothers had been taught by their father reached him. He knew it was Quinn, and he didn’t care. He had Cara in his arms. That’s all that mattered.

The whistle sounded again.

Lucan was fast losing control. If he didn’t leave Cara now, he wouldn’t. He would take her innocence. She might enjoy it now, but once she saw him, really saw him, she would regret her gift and hate him for it. He would rather have a cockstand for eternity than have her disdain.

He jumped off the bed and stepped away from her. His gut twisted when she sat up, watching him with wide eyes.

“What is it?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I don’t trust myself with you. I lose all control with just a touch. Besides, Quinn is calling for me.”

“But I want you to touch me.”

Lucan squeezed his eyes closed. “Don’t. Don’t say that.”

There was a rustle on the bed. He knew without looking she had risen and stood before him.

“Why can’t I say what I mean?” Her voice was close, too close.

Lucan opened his eyes and retreated another step. “You don’t know me, Cara.”

“I do,” she said with a sensual smile that made his balls tighten. “You’re the man who saved me, the man who protects me, the man who teaches me to fight. And the man who awakens desires I didn’t know I had.”

“You wouldna be saying those things if you saw the monster that I am.”

She hesitated. “I would.”

In that instant he knew she never could, no matter how much they both might want it. “Nay.”

“You don’t know that,” she argued.

“Neither do you.”

She lifted her chin. “Have some faith in me. You’ve proven what kind of man you are. I know of the god inside you, and I still want you.”

Lucan knew unless she saw the god unleashed, truly saw him for what he was, she would believe they could be together. There was only one thing for him to do, though he was loath to do it, for it would mean she would no longer turn her mahogany eyes to him with trust or desire. There would only be revulsion and hatred.

But it was for the best.

“Are you so sure?” he asked.

“Positive.”

Lucan inhaled and released the god. He ran his tongue over his lengthening teeth, flexed his fingers as his claws extended. He didn’t need to look down at his arms to know his skin, as well as his eyes, had gone black—he could feel it, the subtle tingle in his skin.

Cara’s eyes widened in shock. Her lips parted as if she would speak, but no words came.

“As I thought,” Lucan said, and tried to smile. He knew it came off more as a grimace but didn’t care. “Stay in your chamber until one of us comes back for you.”

It wouldn’t be him, but there was no reason to tell her that. He turned and stalked from the chamber, hating himself with every step. He called the darkness around him, welcomed the shadows. She had been a bright speck in his future, and he had just seen it diminish into nothing. But it was for the best.

Wasn’t it?

Lucan pushed Cara from his mind—or at least he tried—and hurried out of the castle. When he reached the bailey he found Fallon and Quinn.

“Where have you been?” Quinn asked.

Fallon’s knowing gaze found Lucan’s. “He was seeing to Cara.”

Quinn swore under his breath. “We have people at the village and you want to make sure she’s all right?”

The moonlight hit him as a cloud moved in the sky showing he had released the god. Quinn’s eyes widened, but Fallon didn’t seem surprised.

“That wasn’t a good idea,” Fallon said.

Lucan didn’t care what Fallon thought. “It was for the best.”

“What in the name of all that is holy is going on?” Quinn ground out.

“Nothing,” Lucan hurried to say when Fallon started to speak. “Who is at the village?”

“The MacClure clan,” Quinn answered. “They’re going through the cottages now.”

“Did you see how many?”

“Of course.” Quinn rolled his eyes at the question.

“Well?” Lucan prompted.

“Only ten, but two left as soon as they saw what had happened.”

“More will be on the way,” Fallon said. “They’re going to want answers.”

Lucan nodded. “Just as we did. Part of me wants to give them answers.”

“They wouldn’t believe us.”

“I know.”

Quinn crossed his arms over his chest. “Right now they’re more concerned with burying their dead.”

“A good thing, too.” Fallon sniffed the air. “The bodies would begin to smell soon.”

“I’ll go to the village,” Lucan said as he started to walk past his brothers.

Quinn stopped Lucan with a hand on his shoulder. “Stay near Cara. You’re the one who swore to protect her. I’ll go to the village and make sure none of the MacClures try and venture this way.”

Lucan watched Quinn leave.

“In three hundred years his anger hasn’t faded,” Fallon said. “Will it ever?”

“A more important question is how much longer does he have until he cannot control the god at all?”

Fallon shook his head. “You don’t seem to have a problem controlling Apodatoo.”

The urge to strike out at Fallon, to slam his fist into his brother’s face for revenge, overwhelmed Lucan. “Someone had to look after you two. Did I want to be the one who was forced to control it and my rage? Did I want to be the one who shouldered all the responsibility seeing to each of you through the years? Nay. I didn’t ask for any of it, but you certainly didn’t want the role.”

“Lucan,” Fallon started.

“You don’t get to make these decisions now. You gave up the right to lead us when you turned to the wine. Go back inside. Quinn and I will see to everything.”

Lucan turned on his heel and leapt onto the battlements with a single jump. From there, it was easy to leap and climb his way back to the tower where he would keep watch until dawn. There was nothing else for him to do, and he didn’t trust himself to go inside the castle.

That’s where Cara was.