Page 16 of Her Scot of Bygones (MacLeod Dragons #2)

–Lucas–

I JOLTED AWAKE when Hazel did, and looked at her with concern.

“What is it, lass?”

“It’s time to go.”

She told me about her dream.

“I think Evan’s waiting for me.”

“You mean us because you’ll go nowhere near him without me.”

I shook my head and eyed her lush body with appreciation as she crawled out of bed.

“And preferably not on Sutherland territory.”

Though tempted to pull her back and keep her here longer because she kept me continually aroused, I felt her distress as she pulled her dress on and made it clear we needed to go. Her gaze flickered from Evan’s sword back to me.

“Wherever that leads us.”

While I didn’t like the sound of that, I was determined she knew she could depend on me, just as I had promised, so I got out of bed and went to her. Cupping her cheek, I was equally clear.

“As you wish, lass. Evan’s letter said you were to lead the way, so you shall, with me by your side, protecting you.”

“Thank you,”

she said softly, resting her hand on my chest.

I didn’t miss the way her eyes flickered over me, nor the pink in her cheeks at her renewed desire.

“You need never thank me.”

I put my hand over hers, meaning every word, just as I had before.

“I will stand by you always.”

Trying to ease the distress in her eyes, because always might be impossible, I offered her a crooked grin.

“May ye forever feed me magical potions from your cauldren and enlighten me in any way ye see fit, my wee witch.”

A small smile curled her mouth.

“It was a bit of a potion, wasn’t it?”

Her gaze flickered from my erection back to my face, and a becoming twinkle lit her verdant eyes.

“May it forever get a rise out of you.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I would say potion or no, ‘tis guaranteed.”

While tempted to kiss her, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop, so I forced myself to step away and dress. As I did, much to my disappointment, she combed her mane of luxurious hair and tied it back. I had much preferred it wild and unkempt. Much preferred seeing it spread around her delicate face like a halo when I thrust deep inside her and made her scream with pleasure.

It was still hard to believe I’d forgotten her when I had once loved her so desperately. When I had wanted her to be my wife and bear my children. Now, here she was returned to me, wanting to have wee bairns just as much as I did, and wanting to enjoy the life stolen from us, but we were being waylaid again.

It almost took more than I was capable of not to bury my seed in her when I had the opportunity. Not to steal her from Evan before he thought to claim her as his own. Granted, we didn’t know if he bore the same tattoo and was the Sutherland meant for her, but it sounded like he knew something we didn’t.

“Which direction are we heading?”

I asked as she sheathed Evan’s blade.

Shouldering into her fur cloak, she glanced from the secret door back to me.

“I think you know.”

“Back to Sutherland territory, whether I like it or not,”

I grumbled, sheathing several weapons before trying to give her a few more daggers, but she shook her head.

“This is all I’ll need, Lucas,”

she said softly, gesturing at Evan’s sword with a confidence that unnerved me because she seemed so resolute and unwilling to take extra protection.

Yet I had made her a promise, so I didn’t argue, just tucked the daggers on me in case she changed her mind. I could only pray she did as we left our lair and made our way down a tunnel I’d forgotten until now. She must have remembered, too, because she slowed down and ran her fingers along the wall before glancing back at me with a small smile.

“Do you remember the day I found this for us?”

“Aye.”

I met her small smile because it had been a great discovery for a little girl who had never embraced her inner dragon, and she’d been thrilled.

“’Twas impressive. It spoke to your kind nature even then.”

After all, she’d done it without Evan knowing, so it wouldn’t hurt his feelings. We never quite understood why we kept it from him until we fell in love, realizing we must be fated mates, and our inner beasts were behind it.

“I suppose it was impressive,”

she said, a whimsical yet womanly look in her eyes as they lingered on me before she started forward again.

Even though I wanted to come up behind her like I had before when she stopped at the seemingly dead end, I knew if I did, we would be delayed because I would take her right here, right now, and she would allow it. It was in her scent and thoughts when she paused with her hand on the Y carving, remembering and craving how good I could make her feel if I hoisted her against the wall and came between her thighs.

“And I will soon enough,”

I promised, my voice guttural with need when I spoke.

“Again and again until ye’re round with our bairn.”

She offered no response as she traced the Y, but I felt her hope that all of this would turn out the way she wanted it to. The way we both wanted it to. Although it saddened me that she dreaded it might not, I was also elated because I knew she would stay with me if she could. She would give up the twenty-first century and all it offered and spend the rest of her days in my arms.

“I think there might be more to our secret tunnel,”

Hazel said, sealing it behind us.

“Magic attached to it...”

She paused, and her hand slowly drifted to the hilt of Evan’s sword.

“Or maybe magic attached to this.”

“Aye, ‘tis a powerful Viking sword that has kept history on track and brought together many fated mates,”

I reminded.

“No, not the Viking sword.”

Hazel eyed the blade as if trying to figure it out.

“Evan’s sword.”

She looked at me again.

“I think he attached magic to it to help me...maybe even help us.”

“Somehow I find that hard to believe,”

I replied dryly, falling in beside her as we continued down the next tunnel.

“If he attached any magic, it was a means to steer you back to him.”

“Exactly,”

she said softly, clearly seeing less of a threat in that than I did.

“But what if it wasn’t for the reason you think,”

she went on, elaborating on the dream she’d had and Evan telling her it was time to come to him.

“You thought the two of you went your separate ways because Lilias came between you, but we now know that isn’t true. Not to mention, we don’t remember how things ended between the three of us, so who’s to say it ended poorly? I didn’t end up with him in the end. Our memories proved that.”

“Aye,”

I conceded.

“I suppose ‘tis just hard to push past feelings I’ve had for so long.”

I shook my head.

“’Tis no easy thing being betrayed by a close friend, even if ‘twas a false memory. ‘Twas verra real for a long time.”

“But not as real as your actual history together.”

She slipped her hand into mine as we made our way along.

“Maybe it’s time to focus on that. Remember what we both know was true. That we were great friends because we were.”

She squeezed my hand.

“That’s the one thing I know for sure. I loved you both only in different ways.”

Her eyebrows swept up.

“But you were already friends before I came along, and it was genuine. Of that I have no doubt.”

“’Twas,”

I admitted, squeezing her hand in return because with all the danger we were facing and what it might mean for her, she was worried about me. Trying to help me, and I loved her all the more for it because she was right. Despite how it ended, my friendship with Evan had been real. In fact, he was the best friend I’d ever had.

“So maybe keep that in mind,”

she said gently, following my thoughts effortlessly now, just like she had when we were younger.

“Focus on the friendship you found rather than the one you lost. The good times that brought you together, rather than the bad times that are undoubtedly false, meant to divide you. Focus on the positive because my gut tells me that’s going to mean everything going forward.”

Despite how logical she was being, it was nearly impossible to push past such old feelings. Yet, I assured her I would try if it made her feel better. If it made whatever might lie ahead easier.

And my fears were realized when the same woodland appeared at the end of the tunnel, except this time the season hadn’t changed, nor the year.

This time, we were back on enemy territory here and now.

“This is unwise,”

I ground out, quietly unsheathing my blade as Hazel made her way outside. I nearly put my hand on her arm to stop her, but caught myself, determined to keep my word, but it wasn't easy. Every step could rip her away from me all over again if the wrong Sutherland appeared. Hell, even if the right Sutherland appeared.

Unfortunately, as it turned out, it seemed I was to be tested, because what happened next proved I wasn’t a man of my word, after all. Not when the right Sutherland appeared, and I didn’t handle it well at all.