The Highlander’s Witch (18 page)

She held onto his forearms as he pounded into her, causing her orgasm to continue to build. She cried out his name, unable to catch her breath as wave after wave of sensations pounded from her cunt to every nerve ending of her body.

Aiden felt Skye’s contractions squeeze his cock and could not hold back his own, his balls tightened painfully and he thickened even more.

Fingers digging into her thighs, Aiden thrust once more into her womb and let go his seed, growling as he felt her hot core tighten around his staff.

Skye collapsed on him, exhausted and feeling wonderfully complete. She could still feel him inside as her muscles twitched in the aftermath of her orgasm.

She closed her eyes in contentment as his arms came around her, his heart tickled as it pounded against her ear, their sweat and juices mingling as their breathing returned to normal.

When the air cooled the sweat from their skin, she lifted her head and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Thank you.”

He looked into her eyes and watched the emotions flickering through them before she lowered her gaze and slipped off, hating every moment she felt him slide from her.

He caught her arm before she could rise to her feet.

“We have time.”

She shook her head.

“It won’t make it any easier.” Looking into his eyes, feeling the warmth of his skin, she searched his face. “Will it?”

“Nay, lass, twilna.”

Gritting her teeth, she nodded before looking away and unsteadily began to climb to her feet when he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back to him.

“But it makes me feel good an tis all that matters right now.”

*     *     *

They traveled in silence, Skye held between his legs as his tartan kept her close to his chest, his smell sinking into her pores while Sileas ran a short distance ahead, sniffing at everything before looking up to ensure they were close, then heading off to investigate more.

The sun barely peeked through dark clouds overhead, matching her depressed mood.

The closer they got to the distant woods the worse she felt and it had nothing to do with the rising fog.

Neither said anything.

He knew by her pensive nature and the emotions flashing across her face that she was sorting through conflicting thoughts, but every time she went to say something, she stopped herself.

Trying to remain relaxed, Aiden worried over her behavior, hoping it was as simple as she made it sound.

When she sought silence in his arms and pressed back into his loose embrace, he wrapped her closer as the fog thickened, not seeing the tears that began to fall.

Even though it took several hours of traveling, each lost in their own thoughts, all too soon they found themselves in front of the tree that Seelie had fought and killed the cougar.

Aiden saw the barely discernible signs his men had left for him as they approached their destination. His body felt laden down with discontent as he kept his eyes open to their surroundings and any sign from Sileas that there may be others not known in the area.

Stopping his horse in front of the mound they had buried the cougar, he sat still, his arms loose about her for long moments until she took a deep breath then shifted.

He helped ease her from the horse, jaw clenched to keep from saying anything, and watched as she walked to the tree, seemingly reluctant as the fog swirled around her body, and gingerly stepped over some mushrooms.

She stood there looking down, drawing in deep breaths. When she looked up, he wondered at the sadness in her eyes but refused to look around as long as the dog was quiet.

“You should leave now.”

“Leave ye here, alone?” He asked incredulously.

“It won’t be for long.” She smiled sadly, wondering if she was right, hoping she was wrong, and hating herself for the guilt eating at her.

They stared at each other as the fog continued to grow thicker, then he nodded curtly, knowing his men were close in case something happened.

He turned his horse and slowly guided it away, refusing to look over his shoulder as he waited for Skye to call out for his return and explain all his questions away.

Aiden kept moving even when Sileas began growling.

The hairs on the back of his neck rising with alarm and his heart rate picked up as the dog started running around his steed then took off behind him. He tried to twist around to look but could not see clear enough in the fog.

Just before Sileas started barking in earnest, he swore he could hear Skye call him.

Aiden whipped around and raced back but she wasn’t there.

Jumping off his horse and drawing his sword, he called out her name, damming the fog.

In moments, his men joined him having heard his shout.

“Watch where ye step, I want someone to see if they can find footprints—now!” He ordered as he tried to peer through the fog.

“What be wrong with Sileas?” Collin asked.

They stared at the hound as he continued to bark at the spot Skye had stood.

Aiden watched as Keir knelt down and picked something up to look at before the man stood and walked over to Aiden, holding it out in his hand.

Aiden took it. “The ring she wore on her thumb.”

Then the words he didn’t understand became clear.

“Pray
I
can
return
for
this,
Aiden.”

Chapter Seven
 

S
kye fell to her knees, her equilibrium off and stomach rolling. She covered her face waiting for it to go away, thankful it wasn’t as bad as the last time.

Just when she was being grateful for twenty-first century heat, she glanced to the left and stared right into a stone fireplace, embers from the dying fire burning inside.

Frozen in place, she looked around, blinking back the dizziness and refusing to believe the things she saw even as his scent filled her lungs and made her body ache for his embrace and for a moment, she thrilled that she was still in Aiden’s time.

Then guilt swamped her and reality set it.

“No way.” Pushing up on unsteady feet, she took in Aiden’s bedroom, turning in a slow circle. “No fucking way.”

Her mind went blank and all she could do was shake her head. She stood there blinking, unsure what to do for long moments before she snapped out of it and quickly turned.

Sinking to her knees before the fireplace, Skye added twigs and hay from the box next to her.

As they caught, she added logs, lots of them.

When the fire was strong and she no longer worried it would go out, she cleared her mind and willed her heart to slow down, then called for her sister, praying as time went by that Sarah would hear her and appear.

“Skye!”

She jumped at the sound of her name. “Sarah!”

“Where are you?”

“It didn’t work. I tried, Sarah, honest I did! I got to the forest with the fairy circle and I said the spell verbatim—I swear! And all it got me was back to the keep.”

“That’s okay, baby.”

“No, it’s not, the baby and Doug—”

“No, Skye, listen to me. It’s okay. Doug needs to talk to you and you need to listen very closely.”

Skye frowned more confused than ever. “Okaay.”

“Skye?”

She looked as Doug’s face came into the flames. “Yes?”

“Listen to me, Skye. You need to save the baby.”

Throwing up her hands, she wanted to cry her frustrations.

“I know that, but I can’t get home. That’s what I was trying to tell Sarah, I tried, I did! But all it got me was a big fat nothing!”

Sarah stepped in to calm her. “And that’s a good thing.”

Wondering if traveling via magic had fried her brains somehow, Skye shook her head.

“You’re not making any sense.”

“We know, just listen and trust us.”

Skye sat there as Doug explained he had been going back through the records of his family history. Because of Skye being in the fifteenth century, he went to the beginning of his manuscripts, just as something to do to keep him occupied with all the turmoil going on in their lives, and he’d found a reference to a woman who’d shown up out of nowhere and saved her unborn baby’s life.

“The pregnant woman’s name was—is—Anna Rander, wife of Collin Rander and the daughter of Elizabeth and Dougal MacGregor.”

“Aiden’s sister?” Skye asked in wondered shock.

“Yes!” Doug answered. “My family tree begins with the writings from Elizabeth Gordon who marries Dougal. I followed quickly to my great, great uncle, which was when the books ended.”

He paused and Skye watched as he scooted closer to the flames in his excitement.

“We believe, if you can save the baby, you save my entire history. Without that baby there is no family tree.”

The enormity of it hit Skye and she fell back on her haunches. “Sarah loses you and the baby.”

“That is what we believe.” He quietly confirmed, sitting back.

Skye nodded, still dazed by what she’d been told. Long moments passed as she absorbed the information.

“Okay.” She said distractedly as she rose to her knees, her gaze fixed on the floor as her mind whirled with the new information before returning determinedly back to the fire. “I can take care if this.”

When she saw Sarah visibly relax and Doug smile, she nodded, relaxing somewhat herself.

Standing, she told them she would contact them as soon as possible.

As they faded away, she strode to the door and slipped out of Aiden’s chambers, thankful is was quiet.

Leaning against his bedroom door, she sighed. There was no way Skye could dare tell them what happened the last time she tried to save Anna’s baby, she was hopeful everyone believed as Aiden did and that she was trying to help. The question of how they would react after it was done was still unanswered.

Or was it?

It had to be in the book. After all, he would have told her if anything bad happened to her.

Wouldn’t he?

His child’s life was a stake and that could make a man do many things.

Skye shook her head.

Not Doug.

He would tell her, or at least warn her . . . give her options.

She was turning to reenter the room when a voice stopped her.

“You!”

“Oh, Lord.” Skye muttered when confronted by Riona.

“Where do you think you are going?” Riona demanded as she pulled Skye away from the door.

There was no way she could explain this.

“We were told you ran away. Aiden and his men went after you. You were hiding here the entire time.” She eyed Skye suspiciously. “Why?”

This was so not good, so she glared at Riona. “I don’t need to answer to you. I am going to go see Anna.”

“No you are not, you were going into Aiden’s chambers and I want to know why.”

“I don’t have to answer to you.” Skye repeated as she glared at the busybody, her mind whirling with what to do.

Riona beckoned to someone behind her and Skye watched as a huge monster of a man stepped forward. How she didn’t see him she had no clue, but her eyes widened at his approach.

“Take her to my chambers while I figure out what to do.”

Mammoth hands grabbed Skye as Riona got right in her face. “You will not ruin my plans.”

Before Skye could respond, another hand covered her mouth, almost blocking her nose and air supply.

Unable to fight or make enough sound to attract attention, the beast of a man hauled her away.

In minutes, she was roughly thrown onto a chair in what she assumed was Riona’s bedroom, which was actually a larger room with a number of small beds throughout.

A cloth was crammed in her mouth as soon as her abductor removed his hand.