Dark Sword 05: Shadow Highlander (27 page)

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to be a part of the battle against Deirdre. Her power had grown too strong, and it was time more joined in to take a stand.

“As I said before, I doona take from ladies. Only rogues like you lot.” Galen replaced the bread he had taken from her trencher, his eyes shining with mirth.

Reaghan hurried to finish her meal as the conversation turned to rebuilding the destroyed cottages in the nearby village. She listened curiously, but her mind was on spending the day with Galen.

As soon as she swallowed her last bite of food, Galen took her hand. “Ready?”

“I should help clean,” she said.

Isla shook her head and waved Reaghan to the door. “Go enjoy the day.”

Reaghan waited until she and Galen were in the bailey before she said, “Everyone is so pleasant.”

“They are good people.”

“It’s no wonder you call this home. It’s not only beautiful, but there is so much magic that surrounds the castle. Despite the differences between all the Warriors, you are all a family.”

“Every Warrior here had their families and their lives taken from them by Deirdre. Most of us spent years locked in her dungeons. We’re the lucky ones who managed to escape, yet for all of that, we were alone. We were trying to survive in a world that doesna know of us, and canna know of us.”

He paused as they passed through the newly built gate. The evidence of what had befallen the MacLeod clan still could be seen by the burn marks on the rocks of the castle.

“I cannot tell you how long I searched for the MacLeods,” Galen continued. “All of us knew they were the key to destroying Deirdre, and when I finally found Lucan, they were hesitant to trust anyone. Yet they opened their castle to us, and offered all of us who had wandered the land a home.”

“I’m glad the MacLeods are fighting Deirdre.”

Galen nodded. “And we are lucky Fallon is leading us.”

Reaghan forgot what she was going to say when she spotted the sea. She quickened her pace and reached the edge of the cliff just as a gust of wind hit her. She inhaled the sea wind full of salt and the beckoning call to explore.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Galen asked.

“Wildly so. What I’ve seen in my dreams does not compare.”

“Nay, nothing could.”

She felt Galen’s gaze on her and turned her head to him. Her hair whipped in the wind and tangled around Galen. He chuckled deep and low in his chest as he pulled her against him.

“Reaghan,” he whispered before his mouth descended on hers.

She sank into the kiss, losing herself in all that was Galen. He enticed, he teased, he captivated. She wound her arms around his neck and offered him everything she had—her heart and her soul.

She had feared his desire would wane, but his fiery kiss told her different. She tasted his yearning, felt his desire, and breathed in his unleashed passion.

Reaghan dove into the wanton desire that raged through her body. His hot, demanding kiss didn’t allow her to think of anything but the hunger that built within her, the unrelenting passion that devoured them both.

He pressed her tightly against him, holding her prisoner to his kiss, as the heat of his body surrounded her. There was a promise in his kiss, a promise of much more to come. The desire they had tasted on the edge of Loch Awe was nothing compared to what had been building since.

She knew it.

Felt it.

And ached for it.

Galen’s hard arousal pressed into her belly as he groaned deep in his throat. His hunger for Reaghan had spread faster, intensified quicker, than he had ever expected. It frightened him, this need he had to have her. Claim her. Own her.

He wanted her naked beneath him. He wanted to cup her breasts and watch her nipples harden. He wanted to spread her thighs and see the auburn curls that shielded her beautiful sex. He wanted to be inside her, deep and hard, to bring her to fulfillment and see her face as she peaked.

His body raged, demanding he take her, but somehow, Galen found the will to bring his body under control and end the kiss. With his hands on either side of her face, he smoothed her hair back. Her lips were swollen and wet with his kiss. She tempted him with her passion-filled gray eyes.

His cock jumped, eager to have her rub against it once more. He kept control of his body and the hunger that pleaded for more of Reaghan.

She rested her head on his chest as she looked out at the sea. “My body is not my own whenever you touch me.”

“I shouldna have kissed you now. I want you too desperately.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Never,” he answered more harshly than intended.

She linked her hands behind his back and sighed. “I sense you are concerned about something. Is it my spell?”

“Nay. I worry over taking you away from Loch Awe. I worry over Deirdre attacking again. I worry over the headaches that pain you.”

She put a finger over his lips. “You told me I would be safe here. As much as I loved Loch Awe and felt safe there, there is something different about this castle. Maybe it’s the magic of the Druids who call it home, I’m not sure. But I think you’re right. I am safe here. As for the rest.” She shrugged. “What will be will be.”

“You know I will help you in any way I can.” He saw the fear she tried to hide, and he wished he could ease it. But he knew nothing of spells.

“I’ll hold you to that. Maybe you can help me break the spell.”

Galen licked his lips and pressed her head against his chest. “Do you think I will abandon you when you lose your memories?”

“Nay. The thought of forgetting who everyone is and what I’ve done in the past frightens me more than I like to admit.”

“Which is why you wish to break the spell?” Galen began to realize that was probably why no one had told Reaghan what she had done to herself before. Still, he didn’t regret his decision.

“It’s one of the reasons. I want to help you and the others against Deirdre. Whatever information I’m hiding could do that. I want to give it to you.”

She leaned back to look at him, and as Galen gazed into her gray eyes, he knew he would move heaven and earth to do whatever she wanted. Reaghan had given him what no one else could. He was able to touch her and hold her.

Galen had forgotten how much he missed that contact until he’d had Reaghan. He was lost in Reaghan, in her beauty and the solace she gave him. Now that he had found her, he never wanted to let her go.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Reaghan followed Galen as he took her around the castle wall and down a vertical path to the sea. She had found herself awestruck by the castle. It was exactly as she had seen it in her dreams. Imposing. Majestic. Stunning.

The only difference between now and her dreams were the burn marks that scorched the stones and the evidence of repairs. The castle itself perched at the edge of the cliff, the towers stretching high in the sky, almost touching the clouds.

The gray stone looked as if it had been carved there by God Himself as it sat against the startling green of the grass and the many boulders and rocks that protruded from the ground. Even the backdrop of the dark blue waters of the sea only added to the mystical and magical elements of the castle.

The castle might have been built by, and for, mortals, but it had been destined for Warriors and Druids.

Now, as Reaghan navigated the path to the water with Galen, she no longer cared about the castle or how she knew so much about it. All she wanted was to feel the sea.

Rocks ranging in all sizes littered the ground, making it tricky to walk, but she refused to turn back. Galen never let go of her hand. Once he had her safely standing on one of the large boulders the sea crashed against, he remained by her side.

Laughter bubbled inside Reaghan the first time a wave splashed her. The water was cool, and the salt thick in the breeze and on her tongue. She watched as the waves rolled into shore, capped with white at the top, before moving back into the sea.

The cliffs stood like a sentry against the sea, much like the castle stood against Deirdre. The water might take bits and pieces of the cliffs each time it slammed into them, but in the end the cliffs survived, endured.

Just as the MacLeods and the Warriors who coexisted with them would.

“Is it everything you expected?” Galen asked.

Reaghan smiled and looked at the horizon where the bright blue sky met the indigo sea. She could see the reflection of the clouds on the water, and had to shield her eyes from the sparkle of the sun as it glinted off the sea. “Everything and more.”

“You know the way down now. Come whenever you like. Just doona swim by yourself.”

She swiveled her head to him and frowned. “Why?”

“There are currents that would suck you under and not let you go. Hayden swims daily. If you want to test the waters, talk to him so he can tell you where the safest places are.”

Reaghan nodded.

“Come. I’ll show you more,” Galen offered as he held out his hand.

She took it, allowing his strong fingers to close around her hand and lead her back to the path. He steadied her as they climbed when her skirts got in the way. She had seen Larena wearing breeches, and though she had been shocked at first, Reaghan found herself wondering how it would feel not to have her heavy skirts in the way.

“This would be much easier if I wore breeches as Larena does.”

Galen stumbled and jerked his head around to her. “I doona think that is a good idea.”

“You don’t think Larena should wear breeches?”

Galen continued onward, his face turned away from her. “I didn’t say that. I doona think you should.”

“Why?”

“Because I’d never get anything done seeing those long legs of yours encased in tight breeches.”

Reaghan smiled as warmth spread through her. It made her giddy, excited. Just knowing Galen wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her made her want to turn him around and kiss him.

As they reached the top Reaghan spotted Cara in her garden and heard laughter coming from the kitchens. Galen paused as Cara rose to her feet.

“How did you like the sea?” Cara asked Reaghan.

Reaghan grinned. “It was stunning.”

“Reaghan,” Marcail called from the door of the kitchen. “Would you like to join us? I’ve been praying someone else who knows nothing about cooking arrives so I’m not sitting alone.”

Cara laughed and shook her head as she walked toward the kitchen. “We’ve offered to teach you, Marcail.”

“I’ve made a muck of it every time,” Marcail answered with a conspiratorial wink to Reaghan.

Reaghan felt a pull toward these women, as if she needed to form a relationship with them. Something inside her told her it was important, and she was powerless to ignore the feeling.

“Go ahead,” Galen urged. “I’ll find you later.”

She wanted to go with the women, but she wasn’t ready to leave Galen. Her decision was made when Marcail took her hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.

“Hayden is looking for you,” Marcail said to Galen. As they turned to enter the kitchen, Marcail leaned close and grinned. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your time with Galen.”

“Is it that obvious?”

Larena laughed while she stirred something. “Oh, aye, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Not at all,” Sonya said. “I quite like watching those Warriors fall for their women.”

But Reaghan wasn’t fool enough to think Galen would ever be hers. If she couldn’t break the spell, she would lose her memories. She wouldn’t remember anything, but Galen would. How would he manage to cope with such an event?

As if sensing her darkening mood, Isla said, “Sometimes the future is impossible to predict.”

“But not Galen’s stomach,” Larena said.

Marcail sat between Isla and Sonya and rolled portions of dough into small balls. “I wasn’t jesting when I said I couldn’t cook. I come in here to be with them.”

“She does help,” Cara said.

Sonya snorted. “When she isn’t becoming ill.”

“Ill?” Reaghan said. “Is something wrong?”

Marcail’s smile lit up her entire face. “I’m carrying Quinn’s child.”

“Congratulations,” Reaghan said. She could feel the joy that surrounded Marcail, felt the excitement of the other women. “That’s such wonderful news.”

Cara bumped shoulders with Marcail. “We’re all terribly thrilled, but what we’d really like to know is your version of when Galen and Logan found your village.”

Reaghan stepped up to the large worktable and bit her lip as she recalled the first time her eyes met Galen’s.

*   *   *

Galen spotted Hayden on the roof of a cottage in the village. Everywhere Galen looked the Warriors were hurrying to repair the cottages now that the Druids had taken over the castle.

“We wondered if we’d see you at all since Reaghan is here now,” Ian, one of the twins, teased as Galen walked past him.

Galen rolled his eyes and continued on to the cottage where Hayden was patching the roof. “She’s a sight better than you smelly brutes.”