Page 34 of Farlan (Immortal Highlander Clan McKeran #3)

The paralytic from the bat’s attack must have been magic-based, as it didn’t seem to be wearing off like a drug.

Ben found that with great concentration he could turn his head a little at a time toward the hunter, who lay beside him.

His fingers separated as Ulf managed to slip his between them, and slowly gripped him as if he meant never to let go.

Looking into his pale eyes made Ben tear up, for he suspected they wouldn’t survive this attack.

The bats can just drop us into one of the braziers, and that will do the job.

Dinnae think such, Ulf’s voice said inside his head. You’ll make me weep over such a fate.

He was stunned by how clearly he could hear him. How are you doing that?

I reckon ’twas a stone I found in the armory, the hunter admitted. Since I’ve carried it I learned I may listen to your thoughts, so I reckoned it a treasure. I didnae ken ’twould make you hear mine.

Ulf had a habit of picking up small objects he came across and carrying them with him, often taking them out of a pouch he wore on his belt to admire them. More than once Ben had noticed him fondling nuts, pegs, hair ribbons and charcoal .

Why do you collect all this junk? he had to ask.

The hunter sighed. ’Twas a dream I had long ago, that I should find some object of great worth disguised as something that looked commonplace. A diamond hidden inside a worthless trinket. I cannae help myself.

It must be one of Rory’s spell stones. You shouldn’t take things from him, you know, Ben chided, although he was glad he had. The big man doesn’t seem like the sharing type.

He’ll forgive me, I reckon, Ulf told him. Dinnae despair of what shall become of us, for I’m strong and you’re clever. We shall reckon a method to save ourselves and return to our Elspeth.

Ben had been so shocked by the attack he hadn’t given a single thought to the lady they had both promised to wed. She must be so worried.

Our woman, she’s strong and clever, Ulf told him. She’ll no’ stand by while we’re missing. Aye, she’ll search the stronghold from dungeon to solar until she finds us.

Ben looked up as a white fog drifted into the room and halted just over them. What is that?

I dinnae ken. Ulf’s grip on him tightened. Only ken if you go, I shall accompany you.

The opaque mist hovered for a long moment, and then drifted back out through the window slit.

That fog acted as if it was looking at us.

He saw the hunter’s gaze shift to the other side of the room, and followed it until he saw the huge bat struggling to get through the door.

It had to be close to six feet tall now, its wings fluttering around it like leathery curtains.

It’s even bigger than it was when it grabbed us.

Close your eyes, Ulf urged.

Ben did, and was knocked aside by other doll-size bodies being dropped on the pile. That rolled him on top of Ulf, his head tucking against the hunter’s neck. His heat and scent had not been diminished by being shrunk, and being in that intimate position made Ben’s cock swell and stiffen.

Why did that thing have to paralyze me?

Ulf chuckled. Mayhap the bat sensed how much we desire each other and our woman, and wished deny us all of our pleasures.

Only you can laugh in this situation. He had grown so hard he wondered if he was going to ejaculate in his trousers. We were supposed to get married to Els tonight. This is worse than wanting the two of you and saying nothing all these years.

Calm yourself, my husband. The hunter managed to turn his head enough to brush his lips against Ben’s forehead. Our lady and I shall wait for you.

Husband. He’d never imagined being called that by anyone, male or female.

It made his blood run even hotter as he slowly tipped his head back so he could return the kiss.

Ulf’s lips proved to be as stiff as his, but his breath warmed Ben’s mouth, and the taste of him filled his head like grain alcohol.

The other bat flew in and hurled a single body onto the pile, which landed squarely on top of Ben and Ulf.

The heavy weight of the latest victim seemed incongruous to his size, which was twice that of them and the others the bats had taken.

Ben realized it was the clan’s armorer as he saw the bright blue eyes staring at him through the net in which he’d been wrapped.

“Who possesses a spell stone?” Rory whispered.

He cannae hear us speak in our minds , Ulf told Ben.

The armorer reached out through a hole in the net to grab the hunter by the tunic. “I can hear you fine, lad. Where did you hide the stone you found in my armory?”

In the pouch on his belt, Ben told him at once. Please don’t hurt him.

Rory jerked the pouch from Ulf’s belt and opened it, his expression almost desperate until he drew out an etched gray stone the size of a half dollar.

He closed his fist around it and murmured something under his breath, and a white glow enveloped his hand.

The net enclosing him suddenly turned to smoke and then vanished.

Then the glow slowly faded, and gray grit began to pour from Rory’s fist. He smeared some of the dirt onto Ulf’s brow, and then did the same to Ben.

“’Twill permit you continue sharing your thoughts,” the armorer said as he sat up and looked around the room. “I must go and warn our lord of these creatures.”

You’re only two feet tall, Ben thought to him, but Rory had already jumped off the pile and was running across the room toward the arch.

Both bats suddenly flew into the room, releasing deafening shrieks when they saw Rory making his escape. The armorer glanced back over his shoulder and threw the rest of the gray grit in his hand behind him. The small cloud ballooned into a huge cloud of dust that filled the room.

Dinnae look, Ulf said suddenly. Dinnae breathe.

Ben shut his eyes and held his breath for as long as he could, until his last inhalation burst from his lips.

When he opened his eyes to slits he saw the dust cloud had vanished along with the bats and Rory.

He looked at Ulf, who gave him a slow, exhausted nod.

Yet when he tried to move he found he was still almost entirely paralyzed.

Why didn’t the bats use their magic on Rory to keep him from moving like us? Ben wondered.

I reckon they did, my love, the hunter said. Only it didnae stop him.

W hat Farlan had said unlocked something inside Grace, something wild and tender and filled with gratitude for him.

At last, she could be with someone who only wanted her.

Who would be hers and hers alone. It was better than falling in love.

They had the rest of their lives to spend together, and in this place that really would be forever.

“My sunshine,” he was murmuring against her cheek as she kissed her way from his mouth to the curve of his jaw and back again. “Pour yourself over me.”

As she tugged at the laces of his tunic, the sound of heavy footsteps running sounded just outside the door. Farlan drew back to listen, his expression darkening.

“Something is happening. They’ll need you.” Saying that in such a breathless voice probably wasn’t helping the situation.

“Aye, ever they do.” He lifted her off her feet and walked with her over to the bed, dropping down with her on top of it. “Only I need you this very moment, my lovely wench, so much that I may run mad if I dinnae have you. ”

Her breasts swelled, and she ached so much between her thighs she wanted to scream.

“I hate this.” Grace pulled him down to kiss him. “I wanted to spend the entire night with you.”

He ran his fingertips along the edge of her bodice. “I desire such every night. All of them, in your arms. Only our vassals, they cannae defend themselves against Fae magic…” He closed his eyes, and dropped his hands.

“We don’t have time for an all-nighter. Got it. But maybe we can steal a few minutes, because if we don’t we’ll be useless anyway.” She tugged him down until she could put her lips against his ear. “Pull up my skirts.”

Farlan obeyed, sliding his calloused palms along her legs as he did. He glanced down and took in a quick breath. “You left off your pretty under things.”

“I wanted to be ready for this. For you. Tonight was supposed to be our honeymoon, or something like that. Now you’ve got me so close I’m ready to explode.” She parted her thighs so he could look at her sex, which she knew was soaking wet. “Do you want me that badly?”

He used one hand to shove down his trews enough to free his erect cock. “Aye.” He lifted his head to look into her eyes. “You deserve so much more than a quick tumble, my sunshine. ”

“Later you can give me what I deserve.” She lifted her hips until the slickness of her folds caressed his shaft. “Just tumble me right now.”

Farlan pushed inside her, shaking as he tried not to be rough about it.

Grace gushed around him, her body going liquid in response to his penetration.

It made her come so close to climaxing she had to fight back the bliss.

The heavy tightness of his balls against her buttocks as he sank to his root told her he was in the same shape.

That thrilled her, for she wanted him as out of control as she was.

She also wanted to come with him, so she took hold of his hand, and brought it between their bodies.

“Rub me here,” she said, and guided his thumb to her swollen clit. “It helps in a hurry.”

“I adore your quim.” Slowly he stroked her sensitive nub, watching her eyes as he began pumping in and out of her clenching pussy. “’Tis so soft and wet inside you, and then you grip me and I think I shall spill like a lad.”

“I want you to do that,” she assured him, growing even more excited. He couldn’t hold back when he was inside her. “You’re so long and thick I want to come the minute you start pumping inside me. I want you to do it hard and fast, Farlan. Show me how much you want me to come for you.”

He thrust deep as the last word left her lips, and Grace groaned as his cockhead collided with her cervix, sending a shocking jolt through her.

That was when he lost it, and began fucking her as if there would never be another chance for them to be together like this.

The liquid sounds their bodies made together made her tremble violently as the need to come grew even more intense.

Not yet, not yet.

The sound from the passage faded as she became locked in his hot, avid gaze, her breath tearing in and out of her lungs.

Would they survive this, or was he right about them killing each other with sex?

He gripped her buttocks with both hands, squeezing her tight bottom as he went impossibly deep, making them both explode.

“Seneschal,” Darro shouted from the outside passage, his voice growing louder and then fading away. “Where the fack did he go?”

Hearing the chieftain’s voice made the aftershocks stronger, and Grace spiraled into a ferocious orgasm.

By the time it faded she pressed her face against his heaving chest, so satisfied she never wanted to move again.

Farlan gently drew out of her body, and then knelt down beside the bed and put his mouth between her legs, laving her thoroughly with his tongue before he pulled down her skirts and lifted her up.

When she curled her arms around his neck and kissed him she tasted them both on his mouth.

“If anyone asks, you should blame me for this,” she said, drawing back and matching the smile on his gleaming lips. “Tell them I took advantage of you.”

He brought up her hand and kissed every one of her fingertips. “Pledge you shall do thus for the rest of our days, and I shall.”

They went out together into the passage, and intercepted Darro around the next corner. He gave Farlan a narrow look before regarding Grace.

“More of our people, they’ve gone missing, Mistress,” he said. “The laird desires all our vassals and outsiders to seek shelter in the stronghold while we hunt for the creatures responsible.”

Alec came from the other direction to join them. “Seneschal, take charge of safeguarding the vassals. You can calm our people as the garrison hunts. You and Darro should begin rounding up the household now from their posts outside the keepe.”

“Aye, so we shall.” He looked at her. “Stay with Alec, my lady, and he shall escort you to a place of safety.”

She nodded and hugged him before he left.