Page 14

–Aspen–

THE LAST THING I expected Broderick to show me after I’d been doodling my spiral on his chest was the same spiral carved into a portion of his impressive dragon bed frame. One he claimed his inner beast had created years ago, but he now felt was likely a depiction of me in dragon form. While I liked that idea on several fronts, especially given the dragon was gorgeous, I wanted to understand what the symbol meant.

Why had his dragon put it there?

Why had it appeared in the trunk of my aspen and clearly helped me travel back in time?

“Back in time to me,”

he said softly, catching my thoughts as I went to trace the one on the headboard like I had the one on the tree, but hesitated in case it was some sort of key that would whisk me through time again.

“Given its two locations thus far, mayhap ‘tis a portal betwixt you and me?”

he went on.

“A means to get back to me, no matter where you end up?”

“I hope so,”

I said softly, getting a good feeling from his words, so maybe he was right. Or was I merely feeling what I hoped for? It was hard to know sometimes when it came to my gifts. Especially when it came to something I cared a great deal about, and Broderick definitely fell into that category ten times over.

Since the moment Storm’s spell lifted, and he finally saw the light, better yet, me, I had been beyond impressed with him. Far more than that, if I were to be honest. I could safely say I was no longer just crushing on my Scot of Yesteryear but totally in love with him.

I know that sounds crazy because of how fast it happened, but sometimes it’s just the way of things, especially when you’re half witch, half dragon. While most women would say he’s super hot, which he is, and a badass in bed, all are true, but the most important thing to me, he is and always was my best friend, and I just knew it bone-deep. Felt my immense love for him from the inside out, like the deepest part or an extension of me. I wanted his scent all over me every waking moment for the rest of my life and his arms holding me. I wanted him to be the first thing I saw when I woke up and the last thing at the end of the day.

It was insane how strongly I felt, but there was no denying or changing it.

“So all you did was touch the spiral, and it brought you back to me?”

he asked, fishing for details while nuzzling the side of my neck in a way he knew was arousing me for the umpteenth time.

“Yes,”

I said breathlessly, letting my head fall back, giving him more access.

“I was tracing it from the outside in.”

“Then ‘tis clearly a portal but not one you need to experiment with any time soon,”

he murmured against my neck before his lips closed over mine again, and we didn't talk for several hours. Even though he’d assured me he wouldn’t get me pregnant unless we wanted it, I was mildly relieved I was on birth control and that dragons didn’t carry sexually transmitted diseases because we had gone way overboard in the risk department.

Not that I didn’t want children. I did, and with him for sure, but one thing at a time. Everything was happening quickly, and I still had a Scottish king, an enemy laird, and three sisters to worry about. But not quite yet, it seemed, as our kisses intensified, and we lost ourselves in each other all over again.

In truth, we lost ourselves so intensely we eventually drifted off to sleep and only stirred awake when a rap came at the door the following morning.

“What is it, Kenneth?”

Broderick rumbled, partially aloud and partially telepathically, to his cousin. He nuzzled the side of my neck from our spooning position, more than ready for me again based on his erection.

“’Twill only be a matter of time before your scouts report the king is but an hour’s ride out,”

Kenneth replied.

“I, however, can report more.”

When I furrowed my brow at Broderick, he sighed and explained as he got out of bed.

“’Tis in Kenneth’s nature to wander, and combined with his wizardly magic, he can see things others cannot. Astral project, for lack of a better way to put it. ‘Tis limited to a degree, but his talents have been useful on more than one occasion.”

Broderick wrapped a plaid around his waist, chanted me into a chemise-looking thing, and opened the door despite me still lounging in bed.

“Good day, lass,”

Kenneth said with a grin, his gaze lingering on my undoubtedly disheveled state as I sat up in bed before his expression flattened under Broderick’s scowl.

“Tell me what you saw.”

Broderick gestured at a small table with food and drink that, at some point, had magically appeared.

“Have you broken your fast yet?”

“Aye, when ‘twas still morn and fasts were still worth breaking,”

Kenneth said, amused when he pointed out the late-day sun.

“But then I suspect you were too busy to note the new day.”

“To say the least,”

I admitted, my gaze lingering on Broderick’s muscular, tattooed upper half before I grinned at Kenneth and shrugged at Broderick when he seemed surprised by my honesty.

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?”

“Aye,”

he grunted, clearly wishing he were back in bed with me rather than urging Kenneth to share whatever news he brought because chances are we weren’t going to like it.

“Tell us what’s happened.”

“The king is heading this way, to be sure,”

Kenneth reported grimly.

“And not looking too happy.”

The corners of his mouth tugged down.

“Whilst he was ordered to remain at your border, Laird Dugal Sutherland was traveling with him, so he isnae far off.”

“Bloody hell.”

Broderick shook his head.

“That means the king wants him close in case he should call upon him.”

“Which means he probably is going to call on him to come here,”

I deduced softly, burying my fear because Broderick didn’t need that right now. He needed me to be strong.

“Should I assume that’s something he can do even though it’s your land?”

“’Tis best to let the king think all land is his,”

Kenneth replied.

“Otherwise, ‘tis seen as disloyal, and that is the last thing the MacLeods need.”

He shook his head.

“Any of us, for that matter, because an affront by the MacLeods could just as easily be considered an affront by their closest allies, the Hamiltons and MacLomains.”

He shrugged.

“’Tis a different day and age than even a generation ago, what with English enclaves within our borders now. If you’re not loyal to our king, ‘tis assumed you're loyal to the Sassenach king, and that’s a risky venture.”

“No doubt.”

I remembered my history.

“Made no better, I imagine, by the defensive treaty Scotland signed with France a few years ago because God knows the English and French are hit and miss.”

“Aye,”

Broderick concurred, impressed I understood the trying times.

“Now the English-held zones are under attack all the more, and tensions are escalating yet again.”

“If my memory serves,”

I said.

“those would be the important castles of Berwick, Jedburgh, Lochmaben, and Roxburgh. All with English garrisons controlling southern Berwickshire, Teviotdale, and large areas in Annandale and Tweeddale.”

“Verra good.”

Kenneth nodded at me with approval.

“’Tis the general area where Tavish and Sloan are right now.”

“All things considered, I can see why the king doesn’t want any of his clans squabbling with each other, never mind two of his most powerful,”

I commented, unsure how Broderick intended to handle this because I wasn’t catching it in his thoughts. Likely because he had yet to figure it out himself.

“Yet clans squabble all the time,”

Broderick muttered, pouring a cup of water and handing it to me before pouring himself one.

“Many thanks for bringing this news to us, cousin. We will be down after we have eaten.”

He perked his eyebrow at Kenneth.

“Should I assume you told Lucas and my parents?”

“Aye,”

Kenneth confirmed.

“All has been readied in preparation for a royal arrival.”

“Verra good.”

Kenneth nodded at us once and made to leave but hesitated as if debating whether to share more.

“What is it, Kenneth?”

I asked softly, certain it had to do with me.

“Whilst I hesitate to mention it, as astral projecting is not always as accurate as it could be—”

his tone turned grim once again when he looked at Broderick.

“you should know those traveling with the king spoke of a mark on Dugal Sutherland. Wings cut through with a sword and gem.”

Saying nothing more, he left us to make of that what we would, and it wasn’t good. How could I possibly be meant for another? That made no sense, given how strongly I felt about Broderick. Something I knew my inner beast agreed with entirely.

“I dinnae intend to let you go anywhere because I'm certain you are my fated mate,”

Broderick ground out as I got out of bed, obviously frustrated by the whole thing until he sensed the nervousness I’d been trying to hide and closed the distance.

“I mean that, lass.”

He reeled me against him and tilted my chin until our eyes were aligned.

“Marry me straight away so the Sutherland no longer has any say.”

“There you go again with an off-the-cuff proposal.”

Trying to calm him as much as he tried to calm me, I managed a wobbly smile.

“While more than tempted to accept this time, I don’t need to be from this era to know doing that will cause just as much, if not more, trouble with Dugal Sutherland and undoubtedly the king than if you simply refuse to hand me over.”

“Yet ‘tis trouble I’m more than willing to face if—”

“No.”

I put a finger to his lips and shook my head.

“I won’t cause strife for you and your clan. There’s got to be another way.”

“At least promise me ye’ll become my wife so we’ve a leg to stand on.”

Trying to go around my human half to convince my inner beast, his dragon eyes flared.

“The king cannae dispute it if you have agreed to it.”

“Maybe, but wouldn't that cause just as many problems as us flat-out getting married?”

I sighed.

“We’ve got to do this right so it doesn’t put your clan in danger. They have to come first, and you know it.”

Even though he was truly troubled, I felt the spark of pride in him that I would think this way when most in my position would not.

“Then we will wait to hear the king out.”

He shook his head once, making himself clear.

“If he backs Sutherland in his claim all because of an old prophecy and a marking, then I will at the verra least see you returned to the twenty-first century until we can be together.”

Although we both knew I could counter that with a variety of possibilities, including the fact the Sutherlands might very well be able to follow me there, not to mention cause trouble for the MacLeods because they let me go, I nodded at him in return to comfort him if nothing else.

“Agreed,”

I murmured, pulling his lips down to mine before we wasted any more time discussing what could possibly happen until we knew more. Fortunately, my kisses were distracting enough he made a deep rumble of pleasure and walked me backward until my legs hit the edge of the bed.

More than ready, I was about to sink to the mattress, lower his plaid, and enjoy every last bit of him, but we were interrupted again.

This time, by the last thing either of us expected, yet well worth paying attention to.