A Warrior's Perception (14 page)

Her back stiffened and she strained to keep her mind focused on his words. She begged all the gods that she had ever heard of for strength to resist the temptation that held her so wickedly and wantonly. She pushed at his chest as tears misted her eyes.

She would not share his bed, she could not share his bed, and she would not allow another man to hurt her. Not again, especially not this man. She pushed harder against the mighty wall of steel and begged him to stop. Slipping from his grasp, she stepped away as he took a long ragged breath.

Several long moments passed before she could control her voice enough to speak. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor as she turned to him. From the pits of her stomach, she begged herself to be strong.

He was shaken and dared not touch her again in fear that he would not stop even if she screamed. Even if she begged. His body was on fire, wanted her even against his mind’s denial.

“
Ye kiss has been delivered and appears to ha'e been to ye likin'. Now, uphold ye part of the bargain,
”
her voice remained calm and soft even though her body trembled.

“
It will be done,
”
he whispered as he turned on his heel and left the shack and left his woman reeking with desire.

As his footsteps faded, Andra sank to the floor and burst out in uncontrollable tears. He wanted to bed her, wanted her to be his wife, and he wanted what she had sworn never to give a man. Her traitorous body still demanded his touch; her hands still could feel his body, and her lips longed for his. Her sobs worsened as her thoughts continued. At the rate she was going, she would give in to him and suffer the horrid pain again. She must not give. She would have to be strong and unbreakable.

She would deny him until he bent completely to her will.

She would use every ounce of her energy to punish his body for making hers wants his.

She would show that arrogant man that he would not have what he wanted, no man would have it. But above all else, she knew she would have to be cautious and avoid, getting attached to him. He had the power to protect and see that the children would thrive. In the end, if all else failed, she would give in on her terms, not his. She would not be conquered and she would use him to make sure the children had everything they desired.

Knowing that she needed to keep the upper hand at all times, she forced her mind and body to calm down. There was no room in her heart for sadness and tears and no room for a man like Kagan McKregan!

Andra's sobs subsided and she stood. She eased to the door and watched the man she had dreamt about for four years ride away. Her heart thumped wildly as he turned and smiled. He was beautiful and amazing. She slammed the door and a smile slowly crept onto her lips as his name fell from her thoughts to her tongue.

Three weeks later, the eight room orphanage stood proudly beside of the abbey and it was stocked to the brim with every supply that Andra had asked the men for. The men Kagan had sent worked tirelessly beside of Flaron and Andra had to admit, she was impressed. On the last trip to get supplies, the men had brought back mounds of toys and new feather mattresses fit for kings.

Flaron smiled as he opened a large wooden crate and delivered its contents to Andra's lap in the middle of the orphanages new kitchen. It was yards upon yards of crimson and silver satin material. She had frowned knowing it was Kagan's way of saying that his debt had been paid in full. She choked as she ran her hand through the cloth; it was his colors, McKregan colors.

Kagan returned late that evening. She watched him ride towards her and held her breath. His hair blew into the wind and he looked like a pagan god mounted on top of his demon horse. His roguish smile and gray eyes held her prisoner as he pulled to a halt in front of her. She found her icy shell and put it into place as the sexy dark laird dismounted.

“
Tis done,
”
he announced,
“
and I took the liberty of fillin' the bookshelves with books that the bairns will enjoy.
”

“
And what do I owe ye for such kindness?
”
she asked sternly.

He ignored her question,
“
At noon tomorrow, three women who ha'e lost their own babes to illness and disease will be arrivin' to care for the bairns. I ha'e thoroughly searched their backgrounds and trust they will be pleased with the children. Their husbands will be joinin' 'em later tomorrow along with a pleasant little nursemaid.
”

Andra successfully kept her jaw from dropping and smiled as sweetly as she could. She took his arm as they walked out of prying ear distance. Her mind attacked the issue at hand and she tried to find answers. She walked to the great tree that stood at the top of the gentle hill and turned to face him. He rested his hand on his hilt as he waited for her to speak.

“
What is it that ye want of me?
”
she asked calmly,
“
What could I possibly gi'e ye in return for ye kindness?
”

“
Back rubs.
”
The statement was simple and to the point.

“
Ye tease me!
”
she accused.

“
Nay,
”
he answered,
“
I find my back aches of late and the muscles in my neck stay tense givin' way to pain in my temples.
”

“
And that is all ye desire from me?
”
she asked in confusion.

“
It does require ye to come to McKregan Keep and share a room off from my bedchamber.
”

Her green eyes narrowed,
“
Ye would ha'e me in ye room, in ye bed, in candlelight, caressing ye bare backside. Ye mean to seduce me!
”

His comical expression threatened to rip laughter from Andra but she held it back as he replied,
“
Now that ye mention it...
”

“
Oh, nay, nay. I will'na share ye room!
”

“
Actually, ye bedchamber is connected to mine. When I need ye, I will come to ye room or ye can come to mine. The door is secret and na one will be the wiser of it,
”
he calmly explained as he examined a bug that had landed on his forearm,
“
If ye wish to sleep next to me, ye can.
”

“
I donna trust ye milord,
”
she hissed,
“
Ye be up to somethin'!
”

“
Fear me na, I gi'e ye my word I will'na touch ye less ye ask me to or there comes a time when it comes necessary.
”
He chose his words wisely knowing it would become necessary if he had to endure her fiery touch.

“
And what of me, am I bound only to touch ye back and neck?
”
she softly asked as she stepped closer to him.

“
Ye may touch me as ye please,
”
he whispered as she took his hands,
“
Anywhere ye please.
”

“
Do ye swear it? Do ye promise? On ye honor? On ye sword? Swear it to me as Laird Kagan McKregan. Swear it on ye blood, swear it to mine that I may touch ye as I please and ye will'na touch me in return less I request ye to do so,
”
she whispered knowing she had found the answer to the problem.

He could not refuse her on this, she had evoked the blood oath of warrior honor. She was not asking, she was demanding that he prove himself in honor, by sword, and by blood. If he broke the oath, he would be bound to her for life until she chose to end his. If she chose to break the oath, she would admit his honor was faithful and true, that his sword was strong and unbendable, that his blood was thick and fearless. His face hardened and his eyes fumed with a warrior's fire as he slowly bent to one knee and pulled his dagger from his boot and his sword from its sheath.

“
On my honor, I swear it,
”
he pledged as he crossed his heart with sword and dagger.

“
On my sword, I swear it,
”
he proclaimed in a dark booming voice as he held the great sword to Andra. She gently took it from his hand, almost
losing
her balance under its weight.

“
On my blood, I swear it,
”
he swore as he sliced his palm with the dagger. The blood trickled down his hand and splattered on the ground at his booted feet.

Andra courageously held her hand out to him. Kagan's strong hands shook slightly as he held the blades edge to her tender palm. His eyes begged her to pull away not wanting to hurt her, he did not want to spill a drop of her blood, but she held firm. Pressing the blade down, he felt its sharp grip as it sliced across her palm.

Kagan watched the tears mist her eyes, but she did not cry out or groan to the pain. He dropped the dagger and held his hand above hers letting his blood drop onto her wound. She brought her palm up to meet his letting her blood flow into his wound.

“
My blood to ye and ye blood to mine,
”
he whispered as she leaned into his arms.

“
Tis done,
”
she whispered in return as she pulled away and turned down the path to the orphanage.

She walked briskly away with his heavy sword and her burning palm. She could scarcely carry the blasted thing, but she dared not to drop it. She looked over her shoulder at Kagan. He was on her heels heading towards Demon. His face was full of fury but his eyes were aglow with something Andra had never seen before.

She watched as he mounted Demon and took off in full gallop towards the valley. Andra stared at his disappearing back and wondered why his eyes were so bright with life when his face was so consumed with anger. Or was it anger?

She had won this battle, hadn’t she? She wondered why she felt like she had just made a deal with the devil.

Precisely at noon, Kagan's guard arrived at the orphanage with three women in tow. Andra was quickly packed and placed on Demon's back. The horse had come alone, bareback, just the way she liked him. She ran her hands along his neck and whispered in his ear. He snorted and pranced with excitement, remembering his rider. She laughed as he trotted in circles and snorted at her over his wide shoulder. With a quick pat, they were off, leaving the guard behind.

The ride proved to be tiresome and slightly painful. Her backside ached and her legs felt like mush. She stretched out along Demon's back and let him lead the way. She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat in a steady rhythm. It lulled her to sleep and she dreamed.