My Highlander: A Cree & Dawn Novel, page 25
Strong words that stirred an already simmering passion. Without a voice, making love with her husband was one of the ways she could express her deep love for him.
“The fiery heat in your eyes speaks more loudly than a voice and ignites my own need. To our bedchamber wife,” Cree whispered, then muttered beneath his breath when he saw Sloan approach.
Cree stopped and was pleased to see his wife looked as annoyed as he did by the interruption.
“Six travelers, not together, have arrived today seeking shelter for one to two days. I thought it odd with the incident in the woods and thought you might want to speak with them,” Sloan said.
Dawn responded for him, nodding, then patting her chest, then her husband’s.
“You will come with me?” Cree asked.
Dawn nodded again.
“I do not recall extending an invitation,” Cree said.
Dawn smiled, patted her chest, and shook her head.
“You do not need one?”
Dawn smiled, letting him know he had understood her.
Cree brought his nose to rest close to hers. “You will go wait in our bedchamber.”
Dawn grinned and tapped her chest hard, then laid a hand on his own chest.
“Are you telling me to make you go to our bedchamber?”
Dawn grinned again and nodded.
Sloan chuckled and took several steps away from the couple after Cree turned a threatening scowl on him.
Cree pressed his nose to his wife’s. “You dare challenge me, wife?”
Dawn pressed her hand to her chest, then to his and kissed his cheek.
A deep grumble rumbled in Cree’s chest as he interpreted. “You dare to love me.”
Dawn nodded, intent on stealing this time alone together to join as one, to love, to let all that had happened this day drift away if only for a short while.
“Let us see how much you dare to love me,” Cree whispered and grabbed his wife, flinging her over his shoulder, then spoke to Sloan. “I will speak to the travelers who seek shelter in good time.”
Sloan laughed and watched as Cree carried his wife into the keep.
Chapter 26
Once in their bedchamber, Beast dispatched to the twins’ chambers, Cree lowered his wife to her feet. His need for her had grown with each step he had taken up the stairs, but now that he was here, seeing her gaze at him with such heated desire, the memory of losing her assaulted him with a vengeance.
He grabbed the back of her neck with both hands and rested his brow to hers. “Your word, wife, that you will never do something so foolish again.”
Dawn felt his worry in the grip of his hands and the forcefulness of his command. And as much as she did not want to add to his concern, she also could not lie to him.
She eased her head away from him and shook it.
Cree found himself speechless, though only momentarily, that she refused to give her word to him.
He kept his hands firm at the back of her neck as if by sheer force he could make her obey. “It is a command, not a request.”
Dawn laid a gentle hand on his arm and shook her head again.
“I will not lose you again. You will obey me,” Cree snapped and turned, taking a step away from her, needing to calm the anger that the harsh memories sparked in him.
Dawn stepped in front of him and gestured slowly, knowing this was not about her disobeying him. It was about something they both someday would face and her abduction had forced them to experience it.
Cree threw his hands up and stepped away from her again. “I do not want to hear about death, about us being separated. I barely lived through it once, I do not want to think of living through it again or even dying before you, for wherever death takes me, I will rage against them for taking me from you.”
Dawn went to gesture again and Cree grabbed her wrists, stopping her.
“There is nothing you can say that will change it.”
Dawn eased out of his grasp and gestured.
“And nothing I can do to stop death,” he said, understanding her gestures all too clearly. “But I can try to prevent it by keeping you safe, if only you would obey me.”
Dawn did her best to help him understand how she felt.
Cree listened and did not speak until she was done. “I know by telling Old Mary where you were going, you kept your word about letting me know where you would be. I even understand why you would go into the woods to warn your dearest friend, but the thought of you continuing to do something so foolish that it puts you in danger rips at my heart and gut. I also know that at times you will not see it as foolish and rush headlong into it. I will forever live in torment that your foolishness will be the cause of me losing you. And what of Beast? He is there to protect you when I am not there. He should be with you at all times.”
Dawn gestured.
“I know he was protecting the twins, but they were safe in the keep. You should have taken him with you.”
Dawn placed her hand gently on her husband’s arm. She hated that she was the cause of his distress and promised what she could.
Cree shook his head slowly. “I am pleased that you promise to do better at not being so foolish. It gives me hope that you will live a long life and I will live one with less worry of losing you.”
A rap at the door had Cree shaking his head again and demanding to know who disturbed him.
“Forgive me for disturbing you, my lord,” Flanna called out. “Elsa sent word that it is important she speak with you.”
Cree saw the gentle cringe of disappointment on his wife’s face and felt it himself.
“I will be there shortly,” Cree said, knowing Elsa was not one to bother him with trivial matters.
“Aye, my lord, I will tell her,” Flanna said, her footsteps heard hurrying off.
Dawn forced a smile and mouthed later.
Cree chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist, easing her close to him. “You think I would leave you unsatisfied?”
Dawn teased with a gesture that there was not enough time.
Cree grinned. “There is always time to make you come at least once.”
Dawn smiled and held up two fingers.
“You are a greedy one wanting to come twice.”
She nodded, slipping her hand beneath his plaid and taking hold of him, her smile spreading, feeling how hard he was.
“If you want to come twice, wife, I would be careful how you tease me,” he warned playfully.
Dawn brought her face close to his and mouthed, Not. Up. To. It?
Cree laughed. “You have the answer in your hand, wife, though it is a challenge I will not refuse.”
He hoisted her up, her feet not touching the floor as he walked over to the bed and dropped her down on it, then flipped her over on her stomach, and pulled her to her knees.
Dawn scrambled to balance herself on her hands and smiled when she felt his hand push her garments up, exposing her bare backside. Her head shot up when she felt his finger slip into her and she bit on her lower lip when his thumb connected with that small spot of pleasure that stirred such passion. Not that it needed much stirring since she had felt herself not far from climax as soon as he had dropped her on the bed.
Cree had no wont to linger and after feeling how ready she was for him… he did not hesitate.
Dawn’s head shot back and she squeezed her eyes shut, immense pleasure shooting through her as her husband rammed into her with a forcefulness that would have had her screaming out his name if she had had a voice.
Cree groaned as he kept a firm grip on her backside, keeping her steady against his rapid, hard thrusts. He would not last long, feeling her close ever tighter around him, but she wanted to climax twice and he would see that she did.
A sudden deep thrust had a climax rushing up, shattering his restraint, and exploding with such forceful pleasure that it buckled his knees and he had to fight to remain steady. He was pleased when he saw his wife drop her head down then it shot back up, and he could almost hear her scream his name as she joined him in an explosive climax.
When his wits finally returned, he was quick to slip his hand between her legs, to tease her nub while he gave a few final thrusts and felt her shiver in climax again.
Out of breath and spent, Cree pulled out of Dawn only after he saw her head lower slowly, knowing the last of her pleasure had drifted off. She turned as soon as he did and reached up to pull him down beside her and rest against him to linger in the satisfying aftermath of their hasty lovemaking.
They locked hands and lay there, not moving, not speaking, not gesturing, simply relishing the moment.
“You are mine and I love you. Never forget that,” Cree said after a while.
Dawn let him know she felt the same, patting her chest then his. And as much as she would have loved to linger there with him, he was needed elsewhere. Dawn reminded him that Elsa wanted to speak with him.
“I forgot,” Cree admitted. “And since Elsa does not bother me with frivolous matters, it must be important.” He sat up and reached down to help her up. “Come with me.” He grinned. “I know you want to.”
Dawn smiled, nodded, and gave him a quick kiss.
After straightening their garments and making themselves presentable, they left their bedchamber and headed to the healing cottage.
Elsa hurried over to Cree when she saw him approach and spoke before he could say a word.
“One of the travelers who arrived today may be sick with fever,” she said.
“You have not seen this person for yourself?” Cree asked.
“No. One of the other travelers brought it to my attention when she came to me for a minor problem. She believes this man has a fever and tries to conceal it. If it is a fever he suffers from, my worry is I have no idea as to the cause and, therefore, no idea how dire it may be to the clan unless I speak with him. You know yourself how disastrous a fever can be to a village.”
Cree certainly did know, having seen a village almost wiped out due to a fever left by a man who had spent one night there.
“I would like to speak with this man, but I thought it best if you went with me,” Elsa said.
“You have mentioned this to no one?” Cree asked, knowing what could happen if she did.
“Not a word, my lord,” Elsa assured him, “though I did have all those around him moved elsewhere.”
“Wise decision,” Cree said and turned to Dawn.
She held up her hand and gestured that she would wait for him in the keep.
Cree pressed his cheek to hers and whispered, “I am grateful for your wise choice and will confide all in you as soon as I am done.”
Sloan was summoned and alerted as to what was happening.
“I will accompany you and Elsa along with two other warriors,” Sloan said.
“You will accompany us, but you will keep your distance once there,” Cree ordered. “If this man does suffer a fever, I will not take a chance of it spreading. And you have Lucerne and your unborn child to consider.”
“And you?” Sloan asked.
“If Elsa deems it necessary after speaking with the man, I will keep myself removed from everyone.”
“I do not like it, but I see the wisdom of your decision,” Sloan said. “I will remain at a distance and await your orders.”
Elsa clutched her healing basket tightly as they walked to the area in the village where those who requested temporary shelter were placed.
“You are worried,” Cree said.
“Until I know the cause of the fever, aye, I am worried.”
Elsa said no more as they walked and there was nothing Cree could say that would ease her concern. He had concern himself, for his whole clan, and he would do whatever was necessary to keep the fever from spreading.
Elsa approached the man lying on a blanket that had been placed over a bed of straw in one of the lean-tos for use by those who asked for a day or two of shelter.
“I am the clan healer. I have come to tend you,” Elsa said, stopping a short distance from him.
Her response was a groan.
Elsa looked to Cree. “I implore you, my lord, please stay back unless I need you.”
“You leave yourself vulnerable going to him while still healing from your own wound,” Cree argued.
“I am a healer and you lead this clan. Let us both do what we do best,” Elsa said.
How could Cree argue with such a reasonable response? “I am here when needed.”
Cree paced, watching Elsa speak with the man, then gently lifting the cloak that partially covered him. After a moment, Elsa waved him over.
“The fever will not bring harm?” Cree was quick to ask.
Elsa shook her head. “No, his fever is from a wound turned putrid. He was stabbed in the side and came here so that his body would not be left for the beasts of the forest to feed on but to have a proper burial. He requests that in return for the information he has for you.”
“Can you help him?” Cree asked.
Elsa shook her head. “I believe it is too late, but that does not mean I will not try to help him.”
“I will have him moved to your healing cottage, after I speak with him,” Cree said.
Elsa nodded and moved away.
Cree crouched down. “I am Lord Cree. You have news for me?”
The man struggled to open his eyes, then struggled to speak, a moan the only thing that spilled from his mouth.
“Can I be of help?”
Cree and Elsa looked up to see a clergyman standing a short distance from them. His arms were crossed in front of him and his hands disappeared into the wide sleeves of the brown robe he wore and his hood drooped over his head, concealing part of his face.
It unnerved Cree that he had not heard his approach, but the men of cloth were known for their silent movements.
“I could offer prayers and peace,” the clergyman said.
“Not now,” Cree said and ordered him away with a wave of his hand.
“I am near if you need me,” the clergyman offered and stepped aside.
“You will be summoned if needed. Take your leave now,” Cree ordered.
The clergyman bobbed his head. “As you say, my lord.”
Cree looked to Elsa. “When did he arrive?”
“I believe he and a fellow clergyman arrived sometime this morning.”
Cree turned his attention back to the groaning man. “Tell me what information you have for me.”
Cree listened as the man fought to speak through his groans of pain and his anger grew with every word he heard.
He sprang to his feet when the man had no more to say. “I will send men to take him to your healing cottage. No one is to speak with him.”
“Aye, my lord,” Elsa said.
Cree took rapid steps to Sloan a distance away. “It is safe. His fever is from a wound that has turned putrid. Have men take him to the healing cottage, then send a message to Tannin.” His anger showed in his deep scowl. “I want him to return home with his troop and he is to bring James Macardle with him, whether he wants to come or not.”
Chapter 27
Dawn leaned back in the chair to stare up at her husband and shook her head.
“I could not believe it myself when he told me that James Macardle paid to have you abducted,” Cree said, pacing in front of the hearth in his solar.
Dawn shrugged.
Cree stopped, her shrug saying what he himself thought. “I wonder why myself. What possible reason could he have had to abduct you? And what were his plans for you?” A deep scowl surfaced. “There is no reason that would be acceptable. He will be punished for the hell he has put us through.”
Dawn shrugged again and pointed at the floor, then at her husband, then held her side as if wounded.
Cree understood that she asked why the injured man had come to him and he explained, “For a proper burial from what he told Elsa, though I doubt that had been his original intention. I can only assume he had been given partial coin to abduct you and he would get the remainder of it once he delivered you to Macardle. Your escape cost him and I suppose he figured he could get coin from me for the information without implicating himself. We will learn the truth of it when Gillie and Bram arrive shortly.”
Dawn shrugged again and her gestures were clear.
“My thought as well, wife. How did Lara get involved? There are many questions that still need to be answered. For now, I must go see about those who have recently arrived, seeking a brief repast and shelter, especially now with this man’s arrival. Macardle could have had him hunted with the intentions to silence him. I want to see if any who arrived here might be capable of that.”
Dawn tapped her chest and gestured that she would go see Elsa and the wounded man.
Cree nodded. “Aye, do that, and see if he has said anymore to Elsa. And take Beast with you.”
Dawn smiled, stood with a nod, and kissed her husband’s cheek.
Cree grabbed her around the waist and with a chuckle asked, “Why is it you always seem obedient but seldom are?”
Dawn feigned innocence with a look that was anything but innocent and gave his lips a quick kiss.
Cree let her go and warned, “Be good, wife.”
Dawn smiled, nodded, and patted her chest, letting her husband know that she was always good as she walked backwards to the door, blowing him a kiss before she turned around once she reached the door.
Cree smiled and shook his head, the smile fading when his thoughts went back to the moment when he realized that he would never be able to keep Dawn entirely safe. It was an impossible task. Fate possessed a far more powerful hand then he did. He could only do so much and he would, but he also realized that the most important thing he could do was to live every day to its fullest with Dawn and his children. To enjoy, to love, to cherish every moment. Only then would they forever remain in each other’s hearts.
“The message was sent to Tannin,” Sloan said from the open doorway.”
“You made it clear that the only response I expect is for him to arrive here with James Macardle as soon as possible?”
