Highland Defiance (The MacLomain Series- Early Years)

By

Sky Purington

Dedication

This book is dedicated once more to my beloved grandmother and best friend, Mildred. I wish you were here so I could share my tales. But something tells me I’ve talked to you about them already many times since you’ve passed.

Even if only in my dreams.

Can’t wait to enjoy another Lobster roll together, chat and look out on the Atlantic.

See you on the other side, Gram.
xo

PREVIOUS RELEASES INCLUDE…

~The MacLomain Series~

The King’s Druidess (MacLomain Series- Prelude)

Fate’s Monolith (MacLomain Series- Book 1)

Destiny’s Denial (MacLomain Series- Book 2)

Sylvan Mist (MacLomain Series- Book 3)

The MacLomain Series Boxed Set is also available.

~The MacLomain Series- Early Years~

Highland Defiance.

Highland Persuasion- Available Spring of 2013.

~Forsaken Brethren Series~

Darkest Memory.

Heart of Vesuvius

~Calum’s Curse Trilogy~

The Victorian Lure (Calum’s Curse:
Ardetha Vampyre
)

The Georgian Embrace (Calum’s Curse:
Acerbus Lycan
)

The Tudor Revival (Calum’s Curse:
Ultima Bellum
)

~Song of the Muses Series~

Highland Muse

~FREE Reads~

A Christmas Miracle

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Highland Defiance (The MacLomain Series- Early Years)

COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Sky Purington

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Edited by
Cathy McElhaney

Cover Art by
Tamra Westberry

Published in the United States of America

THE MACLOMAIN SERIES- EARLY YEARS

“Come with courage. Come for love. Or don’t come at all.”

When true love exists, it resonates through time.

From the best-selling, award-winning
MacLomain Series
comes the first of those stories never told.

The many tales from
The MacLomain Series-Early Years
will rip from you both tears and joy. After all, love is merciless. Brave the Scottish Highlands in a time of peril and sacrifice. Brave the Highlands in a time when love was forged against all odds.

Highland Defiance
(The MacLomain Series- Early Years)

Mildred, a young woman living in New England during the onset of World War II, worries about her family. What is to come? How will life change? Little does she anticipate change is to come not from war, but from an unexpected trip back in time to medieval
Scotland.

Adlin, Chieftain of the MacLomain clan, will never forget the moment he lays eyes on her. Though he rules one of the most powerful clans in Scotland, Mildred redefines the man he thought he was. Her quick wit and perseverance humble his natural arrogance. Her sensuality cripples his defenses.

The maddened determination of a rival chieftain threatens their very existence. Caught together in time, they must find a way to evade the mighty MacLeods and keep peace in the Highlands. But lust, rage and potential war simmer on the edge of their every move.

Will Mildred and Adlin find true love despite the odds? Find out in
Highland Defiance
.

What They’re Saying
About The
MacLomain Series (Books 1-4)

"If you're looking for that great summer beach read that will take your mind off all your worries this one is for you. If you love the time travel romances of Lynn Kurland, this one equals any of hers."
~Long and Short Reviews

"Beautifully put together, the images that Sky Purington leaves you with will have you wishing that you were of the Broun clan and that your own MacLomain would pull you back through time to be with him yourself."
Dianna ~Night Owl Reviews

 
“What an amazing series! With an abundance of history, interesting characters and sensual scenes, these books became one long, powerful story. While they were very good individually, I'm glad I read them together. Even though this series focuses on a Highland Clan it has a good dose of Celtic too…The MacLomain men have my attention…”
~Roxanne- Amazon Review

Prologue

Calm and dusted with the sun’s last rosy rays, the sea spoke to her. Did it have any idea of what it witnessed? She wondered. Did she?

“Let’s go. No time!”

Mildred ignored the sharp bark from the man leading them and kept a keen eye to the ocean.

“Now!”
He roared.

A hand shoved her lower back. Instead of stumbling, she leapt forward with her head held high. They’d not for a second see her appear weak. Chuckles arose behind her. So be it. She’d walked this path a thousand times. She’d do so again.

“Cocky lass, aye?”

“Seems it.”

“Laird’ll give her a good run over and that’ll be the last of that.”

“It’ll be a sight to see.”

“Think he’ll do it in front of us?”

“Aye!”

Eyes glued to the sea as she walked, Mildred prayed to wake up, prayed for this nightmare to be over.

Soon.

Very soon.

Suddenly, the man in front of her stopped.

She knew why… always somehow knew why.

The man behind wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her down. Mildred said nothing. It was the same as it had always been, the way she landed half on the rock and half on him, the way her elbow caught the stone. No need to look down. She knew that it bled.

“Every last one of you will die if you dinnae release her now.”

His voice,
always
his voicedeep, dark and unforgiving.

Even with five men ahead of her, their eyes locked. Icy blue, his expression wore that same determined look. A fiery rage seemed to sizzle around him.

Mildred covered her ears.

She knew what was coming.

Even with her ears covered, the loud boom of thunder slammed into her. Dark clouds rolled overhead. The air chilled.

Through it all, his eyes never left hers.

As always, she felt no fear.

One by one, the men crumpled, caught in his strange magic, in his pure power.

As always, they were left alone on the cliff watching one another.

She stood and once more looked to the sea, forlorn and sad.

Because this in when she felt fear for the first time.  

As he jumped.

Chapter One

Salem, New Hampshire

1942

Mildred opened her eyes. Covered in sweat, she took long steady breaths. Long ago, she’d learned not to panic upon waking. It served no purpose. With a quick swipe, she removed the tear that’d fallen down her cheek and sat up in bed. She clenched her hands for a few moments and willed the tremors to subside. Waking this way had become far too regular.