Page 22 of See A Highlander (A Highlander Across Time #10)

CHAPTER 22

B ella hated being here in this time. None of the women who’d come from their time had been friendly to her. Their minds had been poisoned to her by Annie who had gotten to them first. The servants all hated her and barely acknowledged her, just because she’d tried to have a drink with one of the guards who’d been married and he’d kissed her. It wasn’t her fault that the men found her attractive. At least they had, but now they avoided her flirtations, and dismissed her as though she was nothing.

Even her plan to seduce Tom hadn’t gone well. He continued to resist her and now here he was declaring he was in love with Annie? Her mousy, stupid cousin? The idea of it made her temper boil and she wanted to lash out and hit her. Bash her head in until she was nothing but a stain beneath her feet. But she didn’t have a bat to hit her with. All she had was a knife she’d swiped from the kitchen. It would have to do.

“Leave you alone? Fuck no. It’s her fault I’m here. Her’s and that stupid witch whore Scathach!” Bella shouted and pulled out the knife. She charged toward Annie, determined to end her here and now.

“Oh my God, Bella! What the hell?” Annie shouted.

She put her hands up in defense trying to keep Bella away from her, but Bella sliced at her.. She watched the knife dig into Annie’s skin and the blood pour from the wounds she’d made on Annie’s arm. A rush of adrenaline filled her, and she raised her arm to slash her again.

Before she could bring the knife down on Annie’s arm again, Tom grabbed her wrist from behind her. She struggled to break free, to continue her attack on Annie, but his grip was strong.

“Run, Annie!” he shouted. “No. She's dangerous I won't leave you—” Annie started to say but Tom interrupted her.

“Go now, I’ll deal with her,” Tom said.

Bella watched as Annie turned and ran out of the gathering room completely frantic. “No!” Bella shouted. “Come back here, you bitch!”

Bella struggled, but Tom’s grip was too strong, and she dropped the knife. He wrestled her to the ground, her face smashing into the stone as he straddled her back. He grabbed up the knife and threw it across the room. Bella was angry. She pushed up and was able to turn over and then pulled her feet up and kicked Tom in the dick. She hoped she’d kicked him hard enough that he’d never be able to fuck Annie again.

“Fucking Bastard!” she shouted as he fell to the side, and grunted in pain.

Bella jumped up and went for the knife again. She ran out of the room, shouting, “I'm coming for you, Annie. You’re not getting away from me! I will finish you.”

She moved down the corridor toward the dungeons, wondering where Annie went. It was dark, but she liked it that way. Pausing, she listened for movement, and then turned and headed back the way she came.

“Where are you, Annie? Come out, come out wherever you are. You can’t hid from me. Scathach can’t save you. She’s not even real. You did this. You brought us here! You deserve to be punished for what you’ve done to me!” Bella shouted. “I swear I’ll have my revenge on both of you before I die!”

Annie crept back to the gathering room. She could hear Bella shouting as she searched for her, but Annie had stayed close to the gathering room, hiding in the small room across the hall which was a storage closet full of linens. She kept quiet, not wanting to draw Bella’s attention. Her arm was bleeding quite a bit and while she’d hidden, she’d picked up one of the linens and wrapped it around her arm.

“Tom?” she whispered.

There was no response and he wasn’t there. She began to panic. What if Bella had gravely wounded him and he went back upstairs for assistance thinking she had gotten away? She looked at the ground in the dark light to see if there was a trail of blood, but didn’t see anything.

“Tom? Are you there?” she whispered again.

She didn’t know what to do. It was very silent in the room, and she couldn't even hear Bella shouting at her anymore. Maybe she had gone upstairs hoping to find Annie in her room. There was no way of knowing.

“Please help me. I beg you. What should I do?” Annie whispered.

For a moment it was quiet and calm. Annie felt like she was completely alone not just by the doorway but in the entire world. It was as though she was standing between two worlds. The candles on the floor flickered as though she was being given an answer.

“You won't get away this time. I am taking you down with me,” Bella shouted, running at her, knife raised.

Annie moved back against the wall next to the door as Bella charged toward her. She had her cornered. Just as Bella was about to reach her, she was yanked backwards. Tom had a hold of Bella's dress. He pulled her back away from Annie and once again threw her against the wall.

"No. She carries my child, I won’t let you hurt her,” Tom shouted.

Bella's eyes grew wide, but the surprise didn’t last long. Hatred filled her eyes and once again she was ready to pounce. But then suddenly everything went cold, very cold. It was unmistakable and hard to not notice. Everyone stopped and looked around including Bella who had been struggling to free herself from Tom’s hold on her.

Suddenly there was a flash of light. An ethereal being appeared in the enchanted doorway.

This sight shook Annie to the core, and she knew that it was none other than Scathach.