Highland Shift (Highland Destiny: 1) (29 page)

Elena was drifting off to sleep when she sensed Faolan pulling back. His arm left her waist, and he started to leave the bed. “Faolan?”

“Shhh, love. Nothing is wrong. I will be but a few minutes.” Elena drifted back into a light sleep. When he returned, he smelled of the earth and wind. Again, she sleepily asked, “Faolan?”

He laughed, and said “Go back to sleep, love. I am here.” Conversely, that woke her.

“Where did you go?”

“To run the farm. Red was out there too.”

Elena sat up, covers dropping to her waist, hair wild, eyes wide with fear. “You were the wolf again? Oh, Faolan, I thought the wolf was gone.”

“Nay, lass, ‘tis the
curse
of the wolf that is gone. I was always supposed to be a shape shifter with the wolf as my second form. ‘Tis part of my heritage. The curse mutated my abilities and bound me cruelly, but the wolf is my strength. I am able to shift at will, but not forced into a cruel mockery of my gift by the moon. Doona worry, love. Now go back to sleep. I will stay here the rest of the night.”

Elena couldn’t lie back down yet. She looked at him searching for
answers, her insecurities returned with a vengeance and were suddenly as awake as she was.
Why me? How long will he stay?

Either Elena projected or he was getting very good at reading her because she heard his sharp intake of breath, then his low growl.

“Elena, you doona’ see yourself very clearly. At this moment, your green eyes have captured the light from the fire. They glow and hold me captive. Your breasts are ripe, and my tongue and mouth long to taste their sweetness. Your hair is wild, calling me to weave my fingers into its tangles and hold on while I bend you over and take you from behind. Yet these are all just physical treasures.”

He placed
her hand on top of his heart, and continued, “I no longer have a heart of my own, for ‘tis yours. Were your heart to stop beating, then mine would surely follow. I will be by your side as long as you’ll have me. Should you send me away, I would always remain near, keeping you safe. You are mine in every way possible, save one.”

Faolan got down on one knee beside the bed and looked into her eyes. “Elena MacFarland, I love you with all of my heart and soul. I doona’ ever mean to be separated from you. There is deep magick in us, and I doona’ know where it will lead, but I always want you by my side as we journey together. Will you do me the honor of
takin’ my name to be going with the heart and soul you have already captured?”

Elena
’s mouth went dry, and her eyes damp. The breath seemed to catch in her throat, even while her heart raced. She was quite simply stunned.
Has any women ever received such a passionate proposal?
“Aye, Faolan MacGailtry, I will be your wife. My heart is yours. Do with it what you will. I cannot live without you.” Faolan reached into the nightstand, then took her left hand and slipped a slender gold band with a large emerald surrounded by smaller diamonds onto her third finger. He was watching her, his eyes suddenly careful.

Tears welled in Elena’s eyes. She could see the love he felt for her on his face. He wanted the ring to mean as much to her as it did to him. Elena began to cry.
She was overwhelmed by the beauty of the old-fashioned setting. It was the most beautiful ring, the most beautiful proposal. Her throat was so tight from her tears she couldn’t speak.

“We can go pick something out together, love. Doona’ worry. ‘Tis but a family heirloom and all I have at hand for the now.
Och, lass, ‘tis all right. Please doona’ cry.”

She wiped away her
tears, she smiled tremulously at him. “Faolan, it’s spectacular. I love it. I love you.” She leaned down to kiss the magnificent man kneeling in front of her.

The kiss was gentle, tender, and when Faolan climbed into bed with her, they clung together, rejoicing in their love.

Faolan was right. Elena was sore, in more spots than one, and she relished the chance to lie around and have him wait on her. She took a long afternoon nap
curled up on the couch in the library, Shadow cuddled up tight next to her stomach. When she woke, Faolan was seated on the opposite end of the couch and had her feet in his lap while he was reading. She watched him for a long time, loving him.

Without looking up from the book, Faolan smiled, “I love you too, lass.”

Elena gasped.
How did he know what I was thinking?

Faolan laughed and looked at her. “Well, you were thinking it rather loudly, my love. I usually canna read you, lass, unless you want me to. Today, sitting here next to you, I could sense when you woke. Then you started thinking how much you loved me, and well, I thought I should say something before you started thinking about something else. Although it would be
verra enjoyable to hear your thoughts on our lovemaking the last two days, if you care to share,” he laughed.

Of course, as soon as he’d said that, Elena’s mind jumped to him slamming into her from behind while they were trapped in the chamber. She heard his quick intake of breath and veered quickly away from that mental picture and made sure she wasn’t accidentally projecting. There was no way she could make love tonight. She found even walking was uncomfortable.

Faolan resumed reading after readjusting the crotch of his jeans, an act that Elena pretended not to notice.
It was a very good thing I wasn’t thinking about laying in the tub with the oil and the way his fingers—

“
Goddammit, Elena, are you trying to kill me?”

“You heard that too
?” she asked, completely mortified by her thoughts.

“Aye, lass, I not only heard it, I saw it,” he said tightly. “I think I’ll go take a shower now.” He stalked from the room.

Elena thought about things for a minute, and then decided to follow him. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and was still stalking, heading for the shower in the hallway bathroom. There was a very visible rise under his towel. Elena’s heart was pounding. She seemed to have become totally obsessed with sex and Faolan.

“Not right now, lass,” he said gently, as he tried to side step her.

Elena put her hand on his bare chest, and he froze. She spread her fingers wide and gently scraped her nails over his hard chest, stroking the bronze curls on his chest. “Faolan, I can’t make love today. I really am too sore.”

“I know, lass, I really do. I doona ever want to hurt you that way.
Och, Elena, you have got to stop touching my chest though. I canna stand here next to you like this, ‘tis fair driving me to distraction.” He knew she was new to this, but could she not see how aroused he was?

She slipped her hand to his erection. “You’re so hard.”

He groaned and tried to step back, only to bump into the hallway wall.

“Elena,” he tried again, but his voice came out harsh, guttural.

She reached under the towel and squeezed his cock, blushed clear to the roots of her hair, and asked, “Are you um, you know, going to do something about this?”

So that is what this was about. She wanted to watch! Christ the woman turned him on. Her innocence and curiosity were a
verra sexy combination. He was going to lose it here in the hallway if she didn’t let go of him.

“Come, lass. Come watch me, and let me look at you.”

After adjusting the shower temperature just right, Faolan dropped his towel and stepped under the spray. He took his time, created a lot of lather and soaped his chest, but only paid cursory attention to his hard-on, before moving down to his legs. Once his body was clean he shampooed his hair; then he reached for the crème rinse. He filled his hand with a fair amount, turned the showerhead to the side, so it wasn’t spraying directly on him, and leaned his back against the side of the stall.

He’d never done this with someone watching before. Elena had been sitting on the counter, but now she got up and came closer. She leaned against the wall so that she was directly across from him. Only the glass of the shower door separated them. His cock was rock hard, and he wrapped his slippery hand around
it.

He slid his hand slowly up and down the length. He lifted his eyes to look at Elena and found her watching his hand hungrily. She looked as though she was jealous of his hand and would like nothing better than to slap it away and replace
his hand with her mouth. She licked her lips and he moaned, moving his hand faster.

He felt his testicles tighten, his leg muscles tense. Christ, she had him hot! When she had flashed on him taking her from behind in the cell… Oh, and she liked the massage oil. She had relived that orgasm and wanted him to do that again… She was watching him, in his private pleasure… It
wouldna be long, he couldna hold back. This was one of the most erotic things he had ever done. He didna have to imagine her face, her lips, her breasts. They were here in front of him, and he knew she wanted him. He heard her moan, and she reached forward to open the shower door. Elena knelt in front of the door, watching him, but made no move toward him. Then she used his own words back at him.

“Tell me, Faolan, does it feel good? Tell me.”

“Christ, Elena, you make me so fucking hard. I canna hold back.” He shortened his stroke, going even faster. “Now, Elena, now.”

Elena looked up to his face and back to his shaft and licked her lips again. He shot out in spurts, rocking him hard against the wall as his body jerked with the force of his orgasm. He continued to stroke until he was spent. He leaned back against the shower wall and looked at Elena. She looked back at him, and he heard her one-word thought.

Wow.

****

The following day, everyone agreed it made sense to try to find the island from their visions. Both she and Faolan had travelled west, and Faolan was sure it was northwest. That’s where they would start, but they needed new maps and nautical charts. Faolan and Red had one of their conversations within a conversation when Faolan asked Red to explain his new needs to a boat broker. Later, when Elena asked him about it, Faolan answered cryptically that he and Red had done a wee bit of fishing before and Red knew what he meant.

Red and Lilly went to Inverness to buy supplies from several long lists. Elena and Faolan would be alone for hours, and she thought it was finally time to share what she had learned in the chamber and had pieced together since.

“Come with me,” Elena said, pulling him by the hand to the library. She showed him the books in her backpack.

“Elena, my love,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You are correct, this does look like a book of spells. Let
me have a closer look,” he said and pulled out a chair at the desk. 

“Let’s go see what other things are down
in the chamber, first.” She tried to sound enthusiastic, but truth be told, she was uncomfortable entering any more underground chambers. She’d had enough of them to last a lifetime.

They took her pack, flashlights, and an empty box to the steading. “Open it, lass. I want to see how it works for you.”

After telling him the story of how she found the panels, Elena placed both hands on the metal plates and pushed. They opened as before and Elena shuddered and stepped back to let Faolan go first.

“
Och, Elena, what was I thinking? I canna ask you to go in here with me. I will meet you back in the house when I am finished.”

“No, Faolan, I need to go back in. I need to face this. It’s just, well, would you mind if we put something in the doorways we enter? Just to make sure they don’t close.”

He swept her up into a protective hug and held her close. “Aye, lass, do not fash yourself over much. I will be puttin’ something in each doorway, and I will be by your side, never fear.”

“God, Faolan, I know I’m safe to go in, but I don’t want to be lost like that ever again.”

“Elena, love, I am not sure we can ever be separated that way again. I feel you in here.” He pressed his hand to his heart. “We are connected now. I think I will always sense how to find you.” He gently pressed his lips to the top of her head.

As they entered the chamber, Faolan propped a book in the doorway. Elena gave him a
tour of the main vestibule and showed him how she had opened each of the three walls. They examined the walls again for any other hidden secrets. After looking through both of the smaller closets, it was time to face Elena’s fears, and walk down the long passageway.

Faolan took her hand, and they walked together. Since Elena had yet to try the door on the left, they chose that one first.
He pushed it open, and they were surprised to see the little room outside the cell where Faolan and Elena had been held captive by Worthington. They were facing the open door to the cell and the stairway that led to the clearing.

“I wonder how Worthington knew about the cell, but not about the rest of the chamber? Why he didna break down this door?” Faolan asked.

“Maybe he couldn’t see it,” Elena answered. “Faolan, you stay in the passageway and close the door, I’ll wait out here and see if I can see the room.”

“Are you sure, lass?”

“I’m sure. I know I can go up the stairs if I get stuck.”