CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALLIE CRIED OUT.
Royce steadied her. “I dinna believe he has yer mother, Ailios. I believe yer mother is dead—an’ has been so for centuries.”
She reeled, barely hearing him. Was Elasaid alive? Had she somehow escaped death with her great white power? Had her death been feigned in the twenty-first century? Or had she been captured from a far earlier time?
“Could she somehow be alive? Could she be Moffat’s prisoner?” she gasped.
“He’s playing ye,” Royce said sharply. “Yer mother canna be alive.”
As terrible as her plight might be, Allie could barely think—but she could feel, and hope burst forth. “Maybe she cheated death the day she died in 1992! Maybe she appeared dead—but her power brought her back to life! Oh gods! It would explain why she is frightened and what I have been seeing!”
“Ye have false hope,” Royce cried. “An’ that plays into Moffat’s hands.”
“So this is a cruel trick?” she demanded, shaking.
“If yer mother lived, why has she nay come to ye—to me—to Iona, to the shrine? No one has seen her in over two hundred years!”
Allie hugged herself, reeling. “Maybe she’s been a prisoner—or on the run!
Maybe she is alive now—and communicating with me telepathically!
” Allie covered her face with her hands.
She was suddenly sure her mother was alive—and imprisoned by Moffat.
But if Elasaid was a captive, her powers had to have been greatly reduced—she had to be hurt!
She became so frightened, her mind went blank.
“We must accept this offer!” she cried. “I am young and strong—we have to save my mother! I’ll take her place! Royce, she must be ill or hurt!”
Royce blanched. “There will never be such a trade!” he said harshly. “Not as long as I live!”
She shook violently, terrified for Elasaid.
“She’s dead,” Royce said harshly. “An’ ye allow Moffat to toy with ye like a cat with a mouse.”
“I have to assume she lives,” she said. “I cannot assume she is dead. If there is any chance that she is alive and in Moffat’s power, we have to rescue her.”
“Ailios.” He took her into his arms and spoke quietly and firmly. “We will go to Blackwood. He’s a few hours from Moffat’s hall. He’s had spies on Moffat for a long, long time. I will learn the truth o’ this matter. Ye must trust me now. An’ ye must think o’the facts.”
Allie stared into his eyes, gripping him tightly. The fact was that her mother kept reaching out to her after so many years of silence. The fact was, Elasaid was afraid. “And if Elasaid is alive? If she is Moffat’s prisoner?”
“We will free her.”
She nodded fiercely. “Yes, we will free her, you and me, together.”
He pulled away. “I will free her with the help of Aidan, Malcolm an’ a few other Masters. Ye will stay safe where I put ye!”
She smiled grimly. “I am coming with you—and sticking to you like glue! I am not about to be dumped in some future time while you play hero! Too much is at stake!”
Royce hesitated.
She didn’t have to read his mind to know he was concerned about her being in the vicinity of Moffat’s base of power.
“Royce,” she said softly, taking his face in her hands.
“Please, please, hear me now. If she is alive, she is hurt, otherwise she’d leap away.
If she is alive, she needs healing! I can heal her!
And have you forgotten we are going after the man who caused your death in 2007?
What if you need healing?” Panic began. “I cannot stay behind. I won’t.
I love you too much! We are in this together, no matter what. ”
“Yer too brave for yer own good,” he said gruffly, walking away from her.
Allie trembled and watched him pace. “Actually I am scared out of my mind.”
Royce turned to her. “I want ye with me, Ailios. That way, I can watch over ye. But first, ye’ll make a vow.”
Allie tensed.
“Ye swear to me on yer mother’s soul that ye’ll obey me. This is war an’ my word is the final law. I dinna trust ye at all,” he added.
Allie cringed. “How can you not trust me?”
“Ye have the kindest heart—an’ the most reckless soul. I’ll turn my back an’ ye’ll think to heal, to fight, God only will ken. An’ when I turn back, ye’ll be hurt, or dead.”
He only wanted to protect her. “As long as you are reasonable,” she began.
He strode to her, eyes ablaze. “Nay! I may be reasonable, but we both ken ye’ll think me medieval, aye? Mr. Medieval? Nay. Whatever I command, ye’ll obey, be it reasonable to ye or not.”
“That is not fair,” Allie said harshly.
“If Elasaid is alive an’ in Moffat’s control, that’s unfair, as well.”
That took away her hesitation, fast. “Okay. You have my word. I won’t disobey you.”
Hard satisfaction covered his features. His tone softened. “Come here.”
Allie hesitated, then walked to him and was surprised when he pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly against his big body and her heart dropped with sickening force as she realized what he intended. “Now?” Dread began.
He laid his cheek against her hair and held her more closely. She felt the strong, steady beat of his powerful heart. “Remember, the pain will end. It seems to last forever, but it’s just a moment.”
Allie closed her eyes. “I was really hoping to avoid this, somehow.”
“Aye.” He kissed her hair. “I willna let ye go, lass.”
Allie turned to look up at him and he covered her mouth with his.
And in spite of what was about to happen, her heart exploded with sudden, impossible excitement. Too late, as they were flung with the speed of light through the hall, she knew it had been a distraction.
His mouth moved to her cheek, resting there; she screamed.
PANIC MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE to breathe as they were hurled through space.
She saw the stars, shockingly close, stunningly bright.
She saw moons and more than one sun. Her stomach, her other organs, even her heart were jamming against her muscles and bones.
Allie wept and wept, sure that this time her insides would be torn from her body by the velocity necessary for time travel.
This time, her brain would be scrambled like eggs.
His grasp somehow tightened. As she sobbed, he did not make a sound.
They landed.
Pain exploded in her head. The stars and moons blinded her. Finally Royce grunted.
She couldn’t breathe. But the excruciating torment of traveling at the speed of light was rapidly lessening, leaving only the terrible stabbing pain in her head. Allie wondered if they had landed on concrete.
Royce gasped thickly, “T’will soon pass.”
Hot tears staining her cold face, Allie realized they lay on wet ground. But now, she began to breathe, rapidly and shallowly, frightened. As she did so, Allie became aware of Royce’s huge body enveloping her.
His powerful arms enclosed her, holding her tightly to his broad, hard chest, and one of his rocklike thighs was thrown over hers. And the moment she became aware of him, her senses fired wildly.
His pulse drummed, hot and male, through his entire body, and she realized how swollen he was. Dazed, she could not begin to imagine how such pain could bring such lust. But her body began to throb and ache in response.
His large hand tipped up her face. His eyes were blazing and he smiled so seductively at her that her heart stopped.
I need ye.
He hadn’t spoken but she heard him, soft and seductive, a murmur of his thoughts.
It crossed the back of her mind that something unknown and different was happening.
He nudged her thighs apart, sliding one massive leg between hers.
She felt him ease up her denim skirt, high over her buttocks.
The broad head of his shaft found the silk covering her sex. Allie gasped, their gazes locking.
Ye need me now.
Yes, Allie thought.
Royce grasped her bare buttocks, moving her higher. Allie gasped as he drove past the thong, easily brushing it aside with his slick, hot flesh. Allie wrapped her thighs around his waist. Looking at her, he lowered her slowly onto him.
She gasped and flung her head back, stretched wide and tight. Her muscles clenched him, instantly spasming. He grunted with pleasure and moved deeper. The sensation of his hard body impaling hers blinded her. Her contractions did not cease.
He wrapped her in his arms, his thrusts urgent, determined, deep. Ailios.
Allie felt more than his body plunging into hers.
The pleasure was almost unbearable. She felt his blood heating impossibly, his climax so close—and she felt his relief and his love.
She cried out, shocked to feel his emotions as if they were her own, the rapture so intense now it hurt even as it pleasured her. And he came, crying her name aloud.
She managed to look at him. Although his face was strained with the release and his eyes were burning silver, he smiled at her. She felt his pleasure and even pride, the savage triumph, and her body gave over yet again hurling her into a million pieces. She wept with the pleasure now.
I need ye.
Yes, take more.
She felt him climax again, his seed hotter now, burning inside her, and her ecstasy intensified.
He paused over her, breathing hard, sweat dripping.
She clasped his shoulders, somehow smiling. “I love you.”
His eyes brightened. He bent, lifting her jersey tee, lowering the cups of her bra. Allie moaned as he tugged on her nipple with his teeth. Still inside her, he throbbed dangerously.
White power.
A softer pleasure had come over her, a prelude to another terrific climax. Allie lay still, her senses firing, but she had heard him, somehow.
Without even thinking about it, she lifted her power from inside herself and showered it over him, into him.
He lifted his head and their eyes met.
He needed her healing so much. Allie gave him more white light and saw his surprise turn to pleasure, relief, and even more pleasure. He began to move in her again, his gaze now locked with hers, softer but as intent and determined. Helplessly, she spiraled into the universe with Royce.