Highlander The Dark Dragon Read online

  “Emma is here?”

  Rhys nodded. “Patience as well and her name truly suits her for she has tried my patience considerably.”

  Heather laughed and was pleased to feel only a slight ache. She reached out and took his hand. “Lie with me.”

  Rhys slipped out of his garments and into bed with her, something he had been aching to do these past two days. Emma had forbid him from sleeping with Heather until she was free of fever and so he had slept in the chair after placing it close to the bed. He missed having his wife in his arms and that is what he did now. He turned on his side and draped his arm over her waist tucking her close to him.

  Heather sighed, his cool, naked body feeling so very good against her slightly warm one. She had endless questions to ask him and she started with the most obvious one. “How did you end up a slave in a foreign land?”

  “My da and I were attacked on the road by a band of thieves. They killed him and I woke in chains on a ship, bound where I did not know. It was a hellish voyage or so I thought. It was nothing compared to the nightmare I was about to live. I was sold shortly after being taken off the ship. I never knew how cruel someone could be until I met Haidar. He bought most of the slaves and my training to become a slave warrior started almost immediately.”

  He kissed her gently. “I missed you so very much and I cried the night I knew Quinn had to die if I was to survive. And dying meant letting go of you and the love I had for you. In order to survive, I had to become as ruthless as Haidar and I could not let love stand in my way. I promised myself that night that whoever I became that that man would protect you and love you if he could.”

  “It hurts me to know how you suffered, especially having tasted just a small portion of Haidar’s cruelty.”

  Rhys caressed her arm slowly. “He did not have a chance to touch you, did he?”

  “No, I kept him talking for a while, hoping you would reach me before he could,” —she could not bring herself to say what might have happened— “he seemed to want me to know why you deserved to be punished. He told me what you did to win your freedom.”

  “I never truly won my freedom. Anala won it for me. When I captured her, she could have screamed and alerted the guards. Instead, she told me that she could show me a secret way out and if she went with me willingly, then I would have to promise to one day free her. I did not hesitate to agree.”

  “So you remained where you were, making Haidar think you did not want to leave yet, gaining his trust while planning to abduct his new wife?”

  “I gave Anala my word and if anything, I am true to my word, though we both knew what it would cost us eventually.”

  “You knew Haidar would find out and come for you one day,” Heather said.

  “I think I truly wanted him to, though I expected him sooner than this, but I should have known better. He would want to take from me what I took from him.”

  “He will try again,” Heather said and shuddered at the thought.

  Rhys felt her shiver against him and he held her close, wishing he could hold her even tighter but worried that he would cause her pain. “He can try and come for you, but you will not be here.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked anxiously.

  “As soon as you are fit to travel, we will leave for your home.”

  “My home is where you are,” she said on a yawn, then smiled.

  “Then you will be home, for I will be with you. Now no more talk, you need to rest.”

  “One more thing.”

  Rhys agreed with a nod.

  “What do you keep locked in the room on the upper floor?”

  “Get well and I will show you.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Heather let out a happy screech when her two sisters entered her bedchamber and she tried to scramble out of bed.

  “No, No,” Emma scolded, hurrying over to her. “You must stay abed at least for today.” She settled Heather back in bed, and then gave her a huge hug.

  Patience pushed her aside. “Let me get to her, and she looks fine to me. She should get up so we can take her home.” She gave Heather a tight hug.

  “Easy, she is still sore,” Emma admonished.

  Patience shook her finger at Emma, though looked at Heather. “Listen to her, telling me what to do. It has been like this since she has been with child.”

  Heather smiled, shaking her head at her sisters who were the same as ever. “I have missed you both so much. You are feeling well, Emma? ”

  The two sisters sat on either side of her on the bed.

  “I am fine, we both have missed you and have worried terribly about you,” Emma said.

  “Has the Dragon treated you good,” Patience asked.

  Without hesitation or qualm and with a smile spreading across her face, she said, “I have fallen in love with him.”

  Patience scowled. “You barely know him.”

  “You do look happy,” Emma said.

  “Stop encouraging her,” Patience scolded.

  “Stop encouraging her to be happy?” Emma asked incredulously.

  “He is the Dark Dragon,” Patience said as if it was insane to even consider the thought of loving him.

  “He is Quinn,” Heather said and her sisters’ heads turned in unison to stare at her in shock. “The Dark Dragon is Quinn.”

  “It is the fever,” Patience said to Emma.

  Heather laughed. “It is a long story and one I do not know if he wishes to share, but I give you my word...he is Quinn.”

  A tear fell down Emma’s cheek. “He came back to you just like he promised he would.”

  “You are sure of this?” Patience asked. “He could be telling you a tale to get you to trust and love him.”

  “I discovered it myself and he refused to admit it until he had no choice and the truth came out. I have no doubt that he is Quinn.”

  The door opened then and Rhys walked in, Hunter and Rogan entering behind him.

  Patience flew off the bed and punched Rhys in the shoulder. “So you are Quinn, are you?”

  Rhys leaned his face close to Patience’s. “Your punch has improved since you were little and so has mine and I will knock you on your arse just as I did when you were young, though a bit harder than I used to, if you hit me again.”

  “Damn, it is you,” Patience said and punched his shoulder again. “What took you so long to come home?”

  Rhys shook his head and turned to Hunter. “God bless you for marrying her.”

  “What do you mean God bless him?” Patience snapped. “He is blessed I let him marry me.”

  Emma was laughing and wiping tears from her eyes as she walked over to Rhys and gave him a hug. “It is so very good to see you again.”

  “You as well, Emma.” He turned to Rogan. “You are a lucky man.”

  “That I am,” Rogan said and reached out and drew Emma into his arms.

  “The three of you are lucky to have each one of us,” Patience said and her husband threw his arms around her in a tight hug.

  “Do not think that will stop me from punching him again now that I know who he is,” Patience warned.

  “He is still the Dark Dragon,” Hunter reminded.

  Patience thought a moment. “Then he can teach me the skills of his ghost warriors.”

  Hunter rolled his eyes while everyone else laughed.

  Heather tried to stop the yawn that surfaced, but all she could do was raise her hand to cover it.

  Rhys walked over to his wife, sitting down on the bed beside her and slipping his arm around her. “You need to rest more.”

  “He is right. You should nap,” Emma said, “we will see you later.”

  Patience grumbled as Emma forced her out the door.

  Rhys turned and pressed his chest to hers, to gently ease her down on the bed while he stole a tender kiss.

  “I miss your breath-robbing kisses,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck so he could not move away.

  “Get better and I
promise you more than breath-robbing kisses.” His hand roamed down along her side and slipped under her backside to give it a squeeze.

  A knock sounded at the door and Rhys was glad for the intrusion. He had gone without making love to her for two days and it was two days too many. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her, but she was not well enough yet. So, he needed to stay a safe distance from her.

  He bid the person to enter as he got off the bed.

  “Excuse, my lord,” Nessa said, “but Lady Emma said I should bring this to Lady Heather and make sure she drank it.”

  “Then I will leave you to the task,” Rhys said and hurried past her to the door. He stopped and turned. “Drink it all, wife. I am eager for you to get well.”

  Heather smiled as the door closed behind him.

  Nessa placed the tankard on the chest and went to help Heather sit up. “You look much better, my lady.”

  “I am feeling much better,” Heather frowned. “But you do not look well, Nessa, is something wrong?”

  Nessa retrieved the tankard and handed it to Heather.

  “Sit and talk with me, Nessa, till I fall asleep.”

  Nessa sat, a tear stinging the corner of her eye until it finally fell down her cheek.

  “Talk to me, Nessa,” Heather encouraged.

  “Everything changes, my lady,” she said, sadness filling her face. “Two of the original McComb clan disappeared last night. Seamus, me, and his family are the last of the Clan McComb and Seamus is sure the Dragon plans to get rid of us.” She wiped at her tears. “I spoke with Pitt, he talks with me often and I must say he is more thoughtful than I thought. He tells me not to worry that all will be fine, but how can I not worry when all who I know are disappearing?”

  “As soon as I am well, we will be leaving for the Macinnes keep and I shall take you with me,” Heather said. “I will not let anything happen to you.”

  “Truly, my lady?”

  Heather reached out and Nessa quickly took her hand. “Truly, Nessa. When I arrived here, if it were not for your kindness and help, I do not know what I would have done.”

  “I would be only too pleased to serve you, my lady.”

  “Then after I rest you may return and start packing my chests and be sure to start gathering your belongings.”

  Heather fell asleep wondering what her husband had planned. Usually she would sneak around and try to find out, but now, she would simply ask him.

  ~~~

  Rhys watched his wife sleep. It was growing late, not only the day but the time they had to leave here. Haidar would regroup and return with all his men and from what Rhys’ men were reporting to him, Haidar was doing just that.

  The last of the McCombs would be taken tonight, except for Nessa. Pitt, to his own surprise, had grown more than fond of her and with how much his wife seemed to favor Nessa, he planned for her to come along with them to the Macinnes keep.

  He could not wait any longer. The day after tomorrow they would leave. He would have a cart made ready to accommodate Heather and they would go, never to return here again.

  He leaned over and kissed her brow. “Sleep well, we leave for home soon.”

  ~~~

  Heather woke and to her dismay saw that it was night and that she was alone. She could not tolerate sleeping so much or lying abed for so long. If they were to leave soon then things needed to be done.

  She swung her legs off the bed, the pain brief and tolerable. It was when she stood that she had the problem. Her feet were still a bit sore and her legs weak from spending far too much time in bed. She slowly made her way across the room, leaning on whatever she could along the way. She pulled a skirt and blouse from the chest and slower than she would have liked got dressed.

  By the time she was done, she was feeling better from moving around, but when she went to put her boots on, the pain had her hesitating. Her feet were not ready for them. She sat feeling defeated, but only for a moment. She recalled seeing sandals in the chest Rhys had sent to the room for her. She smiled with glee when she found them and slipped them on, tying them around her ankles and up along her legs.

  Now she needed to find her sisters and have them help her.

  Heather realized how late the hour when she entered the Great Hall and found it deserted. Not even the servants lingered about. She thought to go outside, but it would be foolish of her to do that. With it being so late and the night so quiet, there was always a chance of her being abducted again and that she did not want to happen.

  A noise in the shadows had her stilling and looking around.

  “Lady Heather.”

  Heather turned with a start, her hand going to her chest, her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst, to see Seamus emerge from the shadows. “You frightened me, Seamus.”

  “They are coming, Lady Heather. I heard the cart rolling through the village. They have come to take me away, never to be seen again.”

  Tears started rolling down the old man’s cheeks and Heather went to him, slipping her arm around him. “I will not let them take you, Seamus.”

  “You cannot stop them, my lady. Everyone in the village is preparing to leave. The word is that the Dragon intends to burn the whole village and the keep to the ground.” He wiped at his tears. “It has been my home since birth and he is going to destroy it.”

  “It is your home no more and what are you doing out of bed, wife?” Rhys said, stepping out of the shadows.

  Heather stepped in front of Seamus. “He is frightened, Rhys, having seen those he knows carted off in the middle of the night to God knows where, never to be seen again. I know you would not hurt the old people or anyone you had taken away. So please, for me, tell Seamus where he is being taken so he does not worry himself sick.”

  Rhys cast a stern glance at Seamus. “You are lucky to have Lady Heather as a friend. The cart takes those to their new home, though tonight Seamus and his family will join the other families, recently taken to a safe area on Macinnes land. There he and the others will remain until the winds of war die down.”

  “So you would like us to believe,” Seamus said, his voice trembling. “The cart takes us to our doom. You get rid of those who cannot serve you. Otherwise you would be truthful with us and not sneak us off in the dark of night. And what of Glynnis? What happened to her?”

  Rhys approached Seamus and he watched impressed as the old man tried to stand tall like the warrior he once was, but age refusing him the dignity. “I owe you no explanation, but I will give you the respect due a seasoned warrior and tell you that whatever I do, I do for the safety of my people. And as for Glynnis, she is safe and well. Now your family awaits you and you will go with them one way or another.”

  Heather turned to Seamus. “You know me and you know my family. Know that when I tell you that my husband is a good man that I speak the truth. He will not hurt you or your family. He will see you all kept safe.”

  Seamus’s shoulders slumped. “The Macinnes I trust.”

  “You will see all will be well. I will visit with you when I arrive at Macinnes keep.”

  Rhys noticed she did not say home and it filled his heart with joy. He was home to her now and she truly believed it.

  Henry stepped out of the shadows. “Come on, Seamus, your family waits.”

  Seamus looked to Heather. “I will see you soon.”

  “That you will Seamus,” she assured him.

  Once they were gone, Heather stepped close to her husband, wrapped her arm around his and whispered, “How many more of your warriors lurk in the shadows.”

  “Enough to stop anyone from taking you. Now what are you doing out of bed. It is the middle of the night and you need your rest.”

  “I did not know the time and I am tired of lying abed all day.”

  “It is night,” he said and swiftly gathered her up in his arms, “and you belong in bed.”

  “You will join me,” she said with an inviting smile.

  “Are you trying t
o seduce me?” he asked, approaching the stairs.

  Heather nuzzled at his neck with her lips.

  “Stop that,” he ordered sharply. “You have only been free of the fever two days. I will not make love to you until I am sure you are well enough.”

  “I am well enough,” she insisted.

  He gave her body a tight squeeze and a painful gasp slipped past her lips. “You are not well enough. You will rest until we leave.” He did not dare tell her it would be the day after tomorrow or she would never rest. He was grateful her sisters were there to help.

  “I will rest on one condition.”

  He eyed her skeptically. “And what might that be?”

  “Show me what is in the locked room.”

  “Then you will rest?”

  “Aye, I will rest.”

  Rhys carried her up the stairs to the upper floor and set her down easily on her feet.

  Heather laughed lightly. “Do you know what those from the McComb clan believe you have locked away in there?”

  “Women.”

  Her brow went up. “You knew?”

  “Were you not warned when you first arrived here that I have eyes and ears everywhere? My men keep me apprised of all that goes on as well as servants who wish to win favor with me.”

  “Another question,” Heather said.

  “I thought you were eager to see what was in the room.”

  “I am, but as long as I am learning your various secrets tonight I might as well satisfy my curiosity about another one.”

  “And what one would that be?”

  “What happened to Glynnis?”

  “Now is not the time for that story.”

  “Please,” she asked nicely.

  “What I tell you is for you only.”

  She nodded.

  “After the man Glynnis loved died, she attempted to take her life. I found her and saw that she was taken care of and when she healed and had a chance to think of what she had done, she felt ashamed. She did not know how she would face her clan. I offered her a new home where she could make a new start. She agreed and asked that Aggie be sent to join her once she fully healed. Glynnis and Aggie are both together now and doing well.”

  “You are a generous and loving man,” Heather said a tear peeking from the corner of her eye.