Page 17 of Highland Secret
She shuddered, forcing her mind away from the frightening images he conjured. “What does my acceptance have to do with any of this?”
After a shocked pause, Roderick moaned and Alrik burst into laughter. “You haven’tacceptedhim? Of course! How could hehave told you?” He vibrated with mirth. “You simple tavern slut. I’m going to enjoy making you—”
“Yes, I do!” She cut him off, unwilling to hear his threats. “I accept Roderick MacLauchlan as my…uh… mate.” There. That ought to accomplish something.
Both men gaped.
“It doesn’t matter.” Alrik recovered first. “I can still challenge for you.”
Evelyn’s breath slowed as she met the swirling eyes of her mate and witnessed the power flow through him. Her energy fused with his and a bond of celestial weaving clasped into place. “No,” she whispered. “You cannot if you’re dead.”
With a barely perceptible nod to her mate, she went perfectly slack in Alrik’s arms, dropping her head below his chest before Roderick’s sword arced toward his neck.
With unnatural force, she was thrown to the ground, Alrik needing both arms free to deflect the lethal blow.
Evelyn winced. Her leg bled heavily now as she scrambled out of the way of the dueling warriors. Weakness crept through her, and she knew she didn’t have much time.
Alrik’s blue eyes had been overtaken by familiar onyx as his beast burst forth to meet his foe. Moving at speeds she could barely detect with her mortal eye, she could only watch helplessly as every so often, they slowed with a particularly powerful collision of their swords.
Locked in epic battle, they didn’t see her tremble, didn’t feel the chill that stole through her emptying veins. “Roderick,” she whispered. “Please hurry…” She gaped at the puddle of blood forming beneath her. Pressing on the wound with her soiled skirt, she moaned.
Her berserker was truly something to behold. The speed and grace with which he moved was a stark contrast to the raw power in his blows. The older, faster Alrik thought to be the aggressor,but was thwarted at every attempt. An elemental command spurred Roderick forward, as he hacked at the blue knight with such ferocity that his enemy stumbled backward.
With one last enraged cry, Roderick delivered the final blow that sent Alrik’s head sailing through the air. His body crumpled to the ground, twitching with the last impulses of life.
Dropping his sword, Roderick was at her side in a moment, lifting her to his lap. Panting moans of denial exploded from his chest as she squinted up at him, hot tears tracking to her hair from the corners of her eyes.
“E, Eh, Ev, Evelyn!”He ground out, his voice returned by the death of its possessor.
The darkness took her while she listened to the foreign sounds of his beautiful voice muttering desperate words against her forehead.
Chapter 12
Where am I?Warmth cocooned her nude body in between the sumptuous sheets of the massive bed upon which she lay.
“Kilrock Keep.” The thick brogue startled her. She’d been unaware that she’d spoken aloud, or that she was not alone. “Yer new home.”
“Roderick.” She breathed. Bolting upright, she greedily took in the man standing before her clad in nothing but a heavy blue, green, and black kilt.
Eyes glittering with pleasure, desire, and possession, he slid the kilt down his lean hips and joined her on the bed.
“I can’t. My leg…”
What about yer leg?” He rumbled in her ear, sliding his very large, verynakedframe against her skin.
“What?” No gashes, no pain, only healthy pink skin streaked with fine veins.
“Magic,” he whispered with hot lick at her lobe. “Ye’ve made me quite powerful, my lady. My Mate.”
Shivers wracked her as his hot breath touched her skin at his words, causing liquid warmth to pool between her thighs.
He breathed deeply and pressed his throbbing length against her hip. “I’m afraid ye’ve accepted me, Evelyn. I canna let ye go now. But I can love ye, ‘til the end of my days if ye’ll let me.”
She silently regarded him for a moment, turning to face him, resting her head on her palm. He looked arrogant, aroused, vital and… vulnerable.
“Which will be a long time, I’ll have ye know.”
Winding her fingers through his loose and silken hair, she cupped the back of his head and drew him to her for a heady kiss. “I suppose I’ll just have to love you in return.” She whispered and tightened the hand in his hair, pulling it sharply.
With a pleasured growl his head snapped back and his eyes closed. When next they opened, the burning darkness of the beast peered out at her.
Rising to his knees and roughly rolling her to her stomach that strange, preternatural ticking purr permeated the room.
Yes,a sensual thrill coursed down her spine.Nowshe would acquaint herself with her Berserker.