A Warrior's Perception (44 page)

“
I am here and ye are not dead. I have been on Vacrey Isle all these years and I have raised our beautiful daughters.
”
She hoped Flaron could forgive her but felt sure that
she had little time to explain.

He stood and a dark expression filled his face,
“
Ye left me! And ye was with babes! Daughters! Four of 'em! I ha'e daughters....all grown up now.
”

Keyra's eyes rimmed with tears as she looked to his feet,
“
I know ye
cannot
forgive me for what I chose to do. Just know that I have never stopped loving ye and I have always watched ye from Vacrey and looked over ye.
”

Flaron's eyes softened and drank in the only woman who had ever branded his heart. He had thought her dead and now here she was as if twenty two years had not even passed. He reached to her hair and ran his fingers down the strand of green and purple silkiness that ran from her temple. They had once been his colors when he had been a laird. Col
ors that he still wore proudly.

“
I ha'e ne'er stopped lovin' ye woman!
”
His words wer
e husky and filled with desire.

She looked up and stared into the blue eyes that she had fallen in love with so many years ago. She flung herself into his arms and cried uncontrollably as he whispered over and over to her that his love was still as great as the day he first laid eyes upon her.

“
Love me now before Vacrey pulls me back from ye arms
. Take me now as ye once did.
”

Her plea did not fall on deaf ears and he eagerly took her lips in a fevered kiss. If he could only have seconds, he would use them wisely with the wife he had never forgot
ten
.

Haley looked over her shoulder as her mother and father disappeared and she silently thanked Fae for the kindness she showed them. She looked about the room searching for Ell'andra.

“
Where is Kagan and my cousin?
”

Darten grinned mischievously and whispered as he pulled her closer,
“
Perhaps they are doin' what I prefer to be doin'.
”

Haley blushed and grew weak kneed as he bent to place a very passionate kiss on her lips. The room suddenly did not feel as crowded when he consumed her thoughts. The people mulling about vanished and she could only hear, see, and feel the warrior who so wantonly was explaining in detail all the things he wanted to do to her.

His whispers and mind shattering touches gripped her heart with such fierce intensity that she all but begged him to take her back upstairs. She did not have to beg nor did she need to whisper her thoughts as Darten led the way to his bedchamber.

Guilt washed over Andra as she redressed. His guests had been awaiting his arrival for well over an hour. She darted her eyes at Kagan as he stepped from her tub and toweled himself dry. Her eyes lingered on his manhood and she pushed the guilt from her mind. They could wait a little while longer for she had a warrior to please and her eyes begged to see more of his naked flesh.

She smiled and took the linen from his hands as she provocatively slid her hand across his chiseled abdomen. He was too fine a man to allow clothing to hide. She caressed his muscles and shivered in delight as his shaft peaked
its
head. She stared as it bobbed upwards in
its
full glory.

“
Ye are a strong mighty warrior and I wish to ride ye wildly and feel ye heart beat inside of me.
”

He grabbed her hand and huskily growled his excitement. She placed her fingertip on his lips with her free hand. She wanted to tell him the truth
of her body's weakness to his.

“
Ye strong shoulders and divine hair drive my heat to the brink of sanity when I look upon ye. Ne'er ha'e I wanted another as I want ye. I want ye to touch me, kiss me, take the fire in my loins that burns for ye and pleasure my heart with ye fiery kisses. If ye can summon the strength to lay 'tween my legs again or ha'e me sittin' astride ye, I promise to take ye to the depth of my desires and scorch ye with the passion I find I can na quench.
”

Kagan's tightly guarded heart thundered its warning as his eyes became overwhelmed with the beauty before him. Her words were sheer bliss to his ears and a part of him wanted to bow down and kiss her feet. His thoughts ran like wild fire through his partially operating brain and encountered the wall that refused to let his knees bend. He knew she wanted him but that was not enough. He wanted more, he wanted everything she had to offer and he would not be satisfied until he could claim her body and soul. He had to have h
er faithful devotion and love.

Andra leaned into his chest and listened to his raging heart. She waited patiently for his answer and groaned when he moved from her touch. She turned away as he wrapped his kilt into
place and took a deep breath.

Do you not see that I am in love with you? Do you not see how my heart trembles and aches for you? Why do you not love me in return?

“
I ha'e an announcement to make and ye presence is required.
”
His words were shaky at best and he refused to look at the woman who plagued his heart.

The mighty laird held out his hand and prayed she would not break out into a run. He sighed his relief as she slid her fingers through his and smiled rather weakly. With what little strength she still possessed, she straightened her back and hardened her eyes. She placed a
well-practiced
smile upon her lips and prayed no one would see through her weak defenses.
             

Andra awoke and stretched spreading her hand across a very sleek, muscled chest. Her eyes flew open and she stared into Kagan's. His lazy smile teased her senses and she sat upright. Her body shivered with delight as the night before played in her mind. He crossed his arms under his head and yawned. Andra shifted to get up as Kagan caught her arm.

“
What is ye hurry?
”
he
asked in a rather sleepy voice.

“
Tonight is the full moon and I'm anxious 'bout gettin' to the orphanage,
”
she quickly replied.

“
It is'na an orphanage any longer, I renamed it Abbey's Place. The children loved it and agreed that it was'na appropriate to call it an orphanage anymore now that they ha'e three mothers and three fathers,
”
he remarked as he pulled her t
o his chest and held her close.

“
When did ye go to the…Abbey's Place?
”
questioned Andra.

“
Two days after yer last visit, I had urgent business with Flaron Douglas,
”
he returned.

“
Douglas?
”
Andra whispered wondering if he
had some connection with Haley.

“
Aye, did'na ye know?
”
Kagan grinned,
“
He keeps watch o'er the southern boundaries in the highlands. He likes to keep to himself so I agreed to let him be a watcher 'stead of a warrior.
”

“
A watcher?
”
she asked

“
A watcher is an experienced warrior who harbors an extreme loyalty to his laird and country and keeps watch o'er who enters and lea'es his territory. Upon findin' anything out of the ordinary he sends word to his laird. Watchers ha'e other skills that come in use from time to time. They are valuable allies.
”
He yawn
ed again as Calin came to mind.

“
What other uses?
”
Andra asked curiously

“
Some are skilled in the dark arts, some in trickery, some in alchemy, some are well trained assassins, and there are e'en those who ha'e an unca
nny ability to sweep women off
of their feet,
”
he drawled.

“
What on earth could that be used for?
”
She flinched because sh
e was well aware of the answer.

“
Some women tend to get loose tongued when in the heat of passion.
”
He whispered as he cuddled her closer and kissed her ear,
“
And they gladly gi'e up their husband’s secrets.
”

Andra frowned,
“
Then these women are'na happy and satisfied in their beds and are'na loyal to their land.
”

“
Ye catch on rather well,
”
he replied as he caressed her arm and took her hand in his. He brought her hand to his lips and licked her fingers, sucking on each one briefly. Andra's skin blazed under his mouth and she envisioned his mouth in a more private place. Her che
eks flamed as she met his eyes.

“
Care for a back rub?
”
he whispered as his tongue flicked across her wrist.

Andra jerked her hand away and pushed away from his embrace as she took a deep breath and smiled icily,
“
Must I remind ye. Today ye promised to let me go to…the abbey.
”

Kagan smiled as he replaced his arms under his head. He watched her dress and reach for the rope by the fireplace. He laughed softly as
she threw him a warning look.

“
I need a bath to get ye sweat off of me so kindly go back to ye room,
”
she snapped.

“
Seems I need a bath as well...I'll stay and we can bathe together while ye rub my back,
”
he returned.

“
Humph...donna ye ha'e somewhere to be, somebody to punish, somethin' to go throttle?
”
She threw the words over her
shoulder as she rang the bell.

“
Nay, na today...we go on our trip to Abbey's Place, and ye will be happy to know that Crimm is comin' along as well,
”
he said in a low voice as he w
atched her move about the room.