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  That Heather should attempt to reach out to Patience now made her realize how desperate Heather must feel, and her heart ached for her sister, while her anger soared. She was about to sit up, too overwrought to sleep when she caught a shadowy movement out of the corner of her eye. She watched the figure creep into the woods and from his shape and size, she realized it was Ewan. She did not hesitate. She got up and followed him.

  It was not easy to follow Ewan in the dark, but Patience managed to keep his shadowy figure in sight while keeping a safe distance. She came to a halt when she saw him stop between two trees and look as if he waited. It was only a moment later that a man dropped from one of the trees giving Ewan and herself a start, though she made no sound.

  She wanted to creep closer, but feared they would hear her, especially the ghost warrior. Though he wore no paint on his face, he was obviously one of the Dark Dragon’s men and she was curious to know what news he had brought Ewan.

  Frustrated that she caught only a word here or there, she took a chance and crept silently as possible, closer to them.

  “What do I tell her?” Ewan said, sounding as frustrated as she felt.

  “Whatever you must to make certain she returns home,” the warrior advised. “All is set and will be done soon enough, then there will be nothing she can do.”

  Ewan laughed. “Underestimating Patience would be a huge mistake.”

  “Thinking the Dark Dragon has done so would be an even larger mistake,” the warrior warned. “Do what you must and you will hear from him soon.”

  Ewan nodded and the warrior disappeared into the darkness, Patience following after him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sunrise was just peeking over the horizon as Hunter stretched his arms up and out. He had slept beside his wife for a few hours, then woke and went to inform Edward that he would take Patience’s watch. Edward had first denied that his help was needed, but Hunter could be persuasive and with a few well-chosen words, a grin, and a laugh he had Edward finally agreeing. Though, Hunter had noticed that the other warriors on watch had checked on him more than was necessary. Still, he had given his wife another good night’s rest.

  Besides, it was time he got to know her warriors and for them to know him. They had to see for themselves that he presented no threat to Patience or to them and that he was pleased and honored to be part of the Macinnes clan. And that he would fight with his life to protect it just as they did.

  Once the next warrior on duty arrived, Hunter entered the camp, not surprised to see everyone up and about, preparing for another day’s journey. He looked about for his wife and when he did not spot her, he went and asked his mum and Ewan if they had seen her. After the two of them had informed him that they had not, he went and asked Edward.

  “I have not seen her, though I noticed her sleeping pallet was empty when I woke,” Edward said and scrunched his brow.

  “What is wrong?” Hunter asked.

  “Patience insists that all our whereabouts must be known at all times. It is very odd that she should go off without telling anyone, unless it was unavoidable.”

  Hunter did not like what Edward implied. It would mean that Patience had to make a quick decision and had no time to inform anyone of what she was about to do.

  “She could have been in the woods and saw something that she felt she had to pursue. Patience is no fool. She would leave tracks for us to follow.”

  “And what if others came upon her without her notice and simply snatched her up?” Hunter asked annoyed that the man was not more worried about her.

  “If it were not for the ghost warriors, I would find that an unlikely possibility and I still do since they have made no effort to truly hide the fact that they follow us.”

  That reminder only worried Hunter more. What could have happened to her? Could she have simply had an accident and was unable to return? Had a band of renegades come across her? Hunter ran his fingers through his hair more frustrated and frightened than ever. She was his wife. It was his duty to protect her whether she wanted him to or not. And Patience was far from invincible, though she did not think so.

  Edward suddenly smiled and pointed. “There she is.”

  Hunter turned and saw her step out of the woods and head his way. He was never so relieved in his life and that startled him all the more. He truly cared for this woman and his feelings for her were growing stronger by the day.

  He was ready to reach out and grab her, when she stepped around him and went to Edward. He held his arms firm at his sides as he turned to face her.

  “Warriors will arrive momentarily,” she said and Edward nodded and left her side with haste.

  Hunter went to speak and Patience quickly said, “Not now.”

  Her dismissal infuriated him and he fisted his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

  Beast’s loud bark had Hunter turning to see the dog take a protective stance in front of his mum, and Ewan moved to stand directly at her side. He turned to do the same to his wife, but she was already stepping around him to take a stand several feet in front of him. Her stance was firm and her hand rested on the hilt of her dagger tucked at her waist.

  A few of her warriors hurried to spread out behind her while her other warriors formed a half circle to the rear of the camp.

  The ghost warriors stepped out of the woods in unison, forming a line directly across from Patience and her warriors.

  One warrior stepped forward. “There will be a meeting. You are to go home and the Dark Dragon will send word when and where it will take place.”

  “Not good enough,” Patience said her tone strong and confident. “I want my sister brought to me before I leave his land and I will not leave his land until he does. Remind him that he has no right to keep my sister against her will. And remind him again that I will cut out his bloody, evil heart if he harms her in any way.”

  “No one commands the Dark Dragon,” the ghost warrior warned.

  Patience took several quick steps forward and jabbed her finger in the air at the warrior. “And no one, not even the infamous Dark Dragon himself, abducts my sister and thinks my family will do nothing about it. He is dead, do you hear me,” she shouted. “Dead, if he does not bring my sister to me.”

  “I will take your message to him, and you will return home,” the warrior said.

  Patience took another step toward him and pointed her finger at him. “I listened to you and your men talk before I let you discover that I was there watching and hearing all you had to say. So, now I know where the Dark Dragon’s land ends and it is there I will wait until he brings me my sister.”

  “You are a fool-headed woman,” the warrior said.

  “Remember that, for there is nothing I will not do to get my sister back.”

  The warrior stared at her a moment, then raised his arm and all the ghost warriors stepped back and disappeared into the woods.

  Patience turned to her warriors. “Break camp. We leave soon.” She waved Edward over to her. “Send a warrior ahead to let my father know what goes on here and that my return will be delayed.”

  Edward nodded and took himself off to do as she had instructed.

  When she finally turned her attention on her husband, Hunter stepped forward with a smile, grabbed her arm, and hurried her along to a more private spot.

  “You go off without letting anyone know where you go?” he said, fighting to keep the anger out of his voice.

  Patience yanked her arm free. “I do not have to explain myself to you.”

  “Aye, you do. You are my wife and your well-being is my concern.”

  “It is a duty you need not concern yourself with.”

  He shook his head, his smile fading. “You cannot be serious. You think that it is out of duty that I say this and that I would not care what happened to you or if you were in danger or God forbid had an accident and were unable to return home? You think I would not go out of my mind with worry? That I would simply sit idle and wait?
Think again, wife, for that will never happen.”

  It took a moment for his words to penetrate. Was he saying that he cared for her?

  While he had not raised his voice, it did soften as he said, “We are one now, mo chridhe. Anything that harms you harms me as well. Any danger to you is danger to me. There is no separating us; we are bound together.”

  “Out of duty,” she said and felt a stab of regret.

  “Unless we allow otherwise.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but he captured it in a potent kiss. His arm went around her waist and he drew her up against him, squeezing her tightly. She did not mind. It felt good to be in his arms, to feel his lips on her, and to feel as if he truly loved her.

  When he ended the kiss, he whispered near her ear, “Do not frighten me like that again, mo chridhe, or you will drive me mad with worry.”

  She felt a rush through her body and a catch to her heart. How was it that this man could affect her so? She had trained herself to show no emotion, but when he took her in his arms that seemed all but impossible. She felt things like never before. It was as if he had sparked something to life that had been missing. And now she never wanted to let it go.

  Could he be right? Could they allow otherwise? Could they possibly fall in love?

  Voices distracted her and she sighed, remembering that they were not alone, though wishing they were. She peered beyond the slim trees where they stood to see her warriors busy carrying out her orders. It brought her back to the situation at hand.

  She did not want to, but she had no choice but to say, “We need to go”

  There was much more that Hunter wanted to say to his wife and questions he wanted to ask, but there was no time for either now. Once on the road for the day, there would be time for both.

  He nodded and they both reluctantly returned to camp.

  Patience went immediately to the warrior who was readying his horse for the swift journey home to take news to Donald Macinnes. She gave him further instructions, then spoke with Edward again and, shortly after, they were all mounted and ready to leave.

  Hunter made certain to ride alongside her. He had questions that needed answers and he did not wait to ask them. “We plod along today. You are no longer eager to return home?”

  “Not with my sister in the area, and knowing that the Dark Dragon’s men keep watch over us while on his land I worry less that your brother will attack us, though I do not discount him attempting something.”

  A few strands of hair fell loose cupping her face and Hunter recalled how she had looked with her dark hair set free—more beautiful—if that was possible. Its silky softness often tickled his nose at night when she lay snuggled in his arms. He had itched to set the long strands free, thinking perhaps it would also free the woman within.

  He reached out and tucked one strand behind her ear as he asked, “And what if the Dark Dragon does not take lightly to your harsh demands and attack?”

  “He will not attack,” Patience said with certainty. “If he wished us gone, he could have easily disposed of us by now. And he made it clear he wanted no blood spilled on his land. No, something else is afoot here and has been since Heather was abducted. I only wish I knew what.”

  “Do you truly believe he will meet with you and bring Heather with him?”

  “One thing I feel certain of,” she said, “and that is that he will not want me camped on his land indefinitely. That means he will need to do something.”

  “He could have his ghost warriors chase you away,” Hunter argued.

  Patience laughed. “And what do you think I would do?”

  Hunter smiled. “Return again and again.”

  “You know me well, husband.”

  “Nay, your stubbornness is well known.”

  “And that is a good thing,” she said proudly, “for the Dark Dragon will know he cannot ignore me.”

  “You cannot honestly believe that the Dark Dragon will simply release your sister out of the kindness of his heart.”

  “That would depend on why he abducted her to begin with. At least if I get a chance to speak with Heather, I might learn his intentions and discover where exactly he is keeping her.”

  “You cannot mean to attempt a rescue?” he asked incredulously.

  “Anything is possible when it comes to freeing my sister.”

  His usual pleasant countenance turned stern along with his tone. “You cannot be that foolish and if you dare try, it is one time you will find me forbidding you to do something.”

  Patience looked at him as if he had suddenly turned into a complete stranger and her green eyes brightened with anger. “Fair warning, husband, like the Dark Dragon I do not take well to threats.”

  “It is not a threat, but a promise.” And not wanting his temper flaring any further, Hunter rode off, leaving her staring after him.

  It took all her willpower to stop herself from going after him and making it clear that not now or ever would she be dictated to by him. Other women might be able to tolerate such nonsense, but she would not.

  After a few moments Una rode up beside her, Beast keeping pace next to her until something caught his interest and off he would go.

  “He is a good dog,” Patience said while staring at Hunter’s back as he rode beside Edward who he had engaged in a humorous conversation, since both men laughed often. Why that should annoy her, she did not know, which annoyed her all the more.

  “Marriage is not an easy lot,” Una said with a pleasant smile.

  “Especially a marriage you had not planned on.”

  “A planned one is just as much of a challenge, but then how can it not be when two strangers are thrown together and forced to wed?”

  “Did you know Hunter’s father before marrying him?” Patience asked, curiosity poking at her.

  “I met him the day we exchanged our vows and I cried during the whole ceremony, for I loved another and foolishly believed my father would let me wed him.” Una shook her head. “It was not a pleasant day. I was young and so terribly naïve. When I was finally alone with my new husband, I told him that I would never love him for I loved another, thinking he would not want me and release me from my vows.”

  “What happened?”

  She smiled, though it was with sadness. “Kevin told me he knew of my love for another, but marriage was not about love for those who must sacrifice for their clan. He told me he would treat me well and always keep me safe and all he asked of me was to be an obedient wife and give him sons and perhaps a daughter.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “He touched my heart with his patience and tenderness that night. Though he had a temper, he never raged against me. He kept his word and treated me well and kept me safe and after many years I realized that I loved him in my own way.” She smiled, this time happily. “I told him one night that I loved him. He wrapped me in his huge thick arms and told me he was happy that I finally did, for he had loved me on first sight. We had a good marriage and I was sad when he died.”

  “But your heart always belonged to another?”

  “My love for Ewan never faded and I believe his love for me remained just as strong, but we both knew it would never be and so we lived our lives with courage and did the only thing we could... we remained friends.”

  “And now that you are both free?” Patience asked.

  Una’s smile grew and a faint flush tinged her cheeks. “Who knows?”

  Patience could not help but smile along with her. “Perhaps true love will prevail after all.”

  Ewan rode up to them then and after a quick nod to Patience he turned to Una. “Beast is off foraging and I thought you would like to join him.”

  Una’s face lit with delight. “I would,” she said eagerly and just before she urged her horse to join Ewan, she turned to Patience. “Beast learned his foraging from Saundra and no doubt he misses it and her as well.”

  “Hopefully, he will be able to return to her soon,” Patience said.

  Una’s face l
ost its joy. “He is much safer here and Saundra would want him safe.” She rode off with Ewan, her smile returning and his growing stronger.

  Patience watched them and hoped that they would finally have their time together.

  The day wore on and Patience’s growling stomach made her decide that they would camp early for the evening so that the warriors could hunt. She was surprised when Hunter decided to join them.

  It was when she finished speaking with Edward and turned to leave that she stopped and wondered where to take herself. She had grown accustomed to Hunter arranging their sleeping pallet and glancing around the campsite, she saw that everyone was occupied with something. She did not wish to disturb Una and Ewan who appeared engrossed in a private conversation. Beast was stretched out by their fire, sound asleep and her warriors had their tasks to do before settling for the evening.

  This was nonsense, she told herself. She did fine before Hunter came along and she would continue to so, then why did she feel so terribly alone? She shook off the empty feeling that pervaded her every thought and got busy fixing her bedding for the night.

  With nothing to keep her occupied and her yawns coming much too frequently, she stretched out on the blanket for a nap.

  A delicious scent woke her as did her growling stomach. She sat up with a broad stretch and a yawn. Her mouth remained open, actually dropped open, and her arms slowly fell to her side as her wide eyes settled on her husband’s naked back.

  He was about an arm’s length away from her, crouched down by the fire, tending the meat on the spit. The scent of roses drifted off his wet hair and his skin glimmered from a fresh scrubbing, and her body tingled, sending a shiver through her.

  She startled when he turned, and he reached out, his arm going around her back to stop her from falling. He held her effortlessly and she gazed into his gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to hold her captive, though it was more like she surrendered. The thought startled her even more and tinged her cheeks with heat.

  Hunter’s mouth curved slowly into a smile and he lowered his head to whisper, “How much longer will you torture yourself and me? I am as hungry for you as you are for me, why not appease our hunger?”