Winter Solstice: An Immortal Highlander Novella (Druid Series) (4 page)

As his
body released into her, jetting seed into her womb, a pleasure like he’d never
known settled over him. She ran her foot up his leg and smiled a lazy little
smile that tugged at his chest. A strange peace came over him. The knowing
loneliness and constant feeling of isolation seemed to lift.

“We should
try this again but in my bed,” she said.

“Did I
hurt you, lass?” he asked, fearful he’d taken too much blood or had been too
rough with her.

“No, and
if that’s what you think of as hurting me, by all means, take me to bed and
hurt me all night long.”

“With
pleasure,” he stated as he withdrew from her. He stood and lifted her. She
pointed towards her room and he headed in that direction. “Lass, thank you.”

“For?”

“For
needing me,” he said softly.

“Took you
long enough to answer,” Coyle said, his lilt lighter than Gordon’s. “We were
worried about you, cousin.”

“I’m fine,”
Gordon said, leaning against the doorframe to Chelsy’s bedroom, watching her
sleep peacefully.

First
light wasn’t far off and he needed to leave before he was trapped in her
apartment. He knew as much but couldn’t seem to bring himself to leave her.

“We had a
report of a dark mage incident in your area,” Coyle said. “Know anything about
it?”

“Where do
you get your information from?”

Coyle
laughed. “This one was my wife. She dreamed it, and when she described the
druid confronting them, you fit the bill.”

“She said
the druid had fangs and a dark heart?” he asked, only half joking.

Coyle
sighed, long and deep. “No, cousin. Yer nae dark of heart. We know it, but you
seem to be the one who is refusin’ to believe the truth.”

“Coyle,”
Gordon said softly, his gaze transfixed on Chelsy’s sleeping form. They’d spent
the night making love to one another, exploring each other and pulling endless
amounts of pleasure from each other. “When you met Deri, did you know she was
yer mate?”

“I knew
she was something important to me, but I wasn’t positive at first,” his cousin
said. “Why?”

“Think
it’s possible I still have a destined one or do you think the Great Goddess
took that from me too?”

Coyle was
silent for a moment. “Come home, Gordon.”

“Home is
the motherland, cousin. Not where yer reside now.”

“Then come
here,” Coyle stated. “Korey and his wife and Deri and I would love to have you
stay with us.”

“That
would be unwise. I attract evil elements. I’d nae want it brought around yer
family.”

“Tell me
why you had questions about Deri and I,” Coyle said.

Gordon
thought about hanging up on his cousin. He didn’t. “I met a woman. A bonny lass
who is quick to question me on most everything. She’s so tender and innocent
yet full of spirit and courage.”

“You with
her now?”

He nodded
and then remembered Coyle couldn’t hear his head move. “Aye. She sleeps under a
spell of mine. Worry not, I only cast it to calm her because she was scared of
dark mages returning for her even when I swore they could nae.”

Coyle huffed.
“She’s the dark mage target? We got word there was a powerful female of magik
decent there and that the mages had an interest in taking her. Gordon, you need
to get her out of the area. Bring her here. Korey and I will protect her.”

“She’s nae
going anywhere without me,” he snapped loudly. “And I’ll nae let harm befall
her. She’s mine and no dark mage will be settin’ foot near her.”

“Yours?”
Coyle questioned.

Gordon
tensed. “I mean… well…och, shut it, O’Caha.”

“You think
she might be yer mate, right?” Coyle asked.

It was
absurd. He was about to say no when his chest tightened. “Aye. I cannae bring
myself to leave her even when I’m well aware the sun is about to rise and her
dwelling is nae safe for me during high light hours. I do nae care if I burst
into flames so long as I know she is safe and protected. And, cousin, being in
her is like…like nothing I have ever experienced before.”

“Worked
yer charms on her already, huh?”

“Aye.”

A long silence
stretched between them. Coyle cleared his throat. “I’ll have guardians sent to
her location within the hour. Give me the address and then get somewhere safe.
They’ll watch over her until you can return.”

Gordon
protested.

“You’ll do
her no
guid
dead, cousin. For the
day, seek shelter and she will be guarded. You’ve my word.”

“Others,
outside of family, do nae share yer high opinion of me. I do nae wish them to
give this half an effort and something bad to happen to my Chelsy.”

“Gordon,
yer family, yer blood and I hold a hell of a lot of pull over the territories.
If I put an order out to have an innocent protected, it will be followed to the
letter regardless yer affiliation with her. Understood?”

“Aye,” he
said. “And thank you, cousin.”

“Thank me
by marrying her and bringing her here to meet the rest of the family.”

With a
snort, Gordon gave Coyle the information needed to send backup. The prickle
indicating the sun was rising started. It tugged at the back of Gordon’s neck.
He knew he had to leave Chelsy. That was easier said than done. He finally
forced himself from her apartment and then double checked the locks and wards
on the shop before hurrying off to the darkness of an alley. He made his way
through back areas, keeping to the shadows all the way home.

Chelsy
dabbed a tiny bit of lip balm onto her lips and went to the window once more.
All day she’d felt as if someone was watching her but she saw no one. So far,
no more dark mages had come for her.

Her gaze
went to her bed. She’d remade it after her shower and when it became very clear
Gordon was gone and not returning. The bed looked empty without him in it. She
thought about what it had felt like to have his powerful arms holding her and
how safe he’d made her feel.

Lies.

He’d left
without even waking her to say goodbye. No note. No anything. He simply
vanished. She tugged at the tiny tank top she wore. She’d not bothered to dress
beyond it and her panties. There didn’t seem to be much point. It wasn’t as if
she’d dare open shop today or go out and about. And Gordon’s vanishing act made
her want to crawl back into bed. She’d been a fool falling for his charms.

The
accent.

The
muscles.

The
tattoos.

The magik.

The man.

She closed
her eyes and a lone tear trickled down her cheek as the sun set for the day.

Gordon’s
blood beat furiously in his veins. He could feel Chelsy’s sadness all day. Her
confusion and now her anger. He didn’t need to be told it was directed at him.
She had to feel used and violated. She was anything but. Leaving her had been
the single hardest thing he’d ever done.

As the
last of the sun’s rays finally dipped below the horizon, Gordon hurried from
his home. He didn’t bother with one of his vehicles. He leapt up, going quickly
to the rooftops, leaping from them with ease. He could fly. It was part of
being a blood drinker, but it was still light enough out to draw attention to
such a thing.

He made it
to the bookstore in record time. As he landed in the alley near it, he was met
quickly with magiks. They stepped out, each eyeing him as if he were the enemy.

He jutted
out his chin. “My woman?”

The lead
man sneered. “The woman is safe. No dark mage sightings. Though, we did get to
see her standing in her window wearing next to nothing all day.”

Gordon considered
killing the man on the spot. He exhaled a shaky breath and clenched his fist.
“Leave. Yer services are no longer needed.”

“We were
told to remain here until you bring the girl to Coyle.”

Gordon cursed
under his breath and pushed past the men. He hurried to Chelsy’s and used his
magik to unlock the shop door. Walking through his own wards was a breeze. He
strolled in and suddenly, something struck him hard in the midriff.

Shocked,
he looked down to find a bat there. “What the bloody hell?”

“Ohmygod!”
Chelsy said, dropping the bat. “Gordon, I thought you were a dark mage.”

He shook
his head. “And you were what? Plannin’ to play a game of ball with them?”

She bit at
her lower lip. “I was protecting myself.”

He nearly
laughed. When he saw how red her eyes were, he didn’t. He put his hand out to
her. “Lass, you’ve been cryin’.”

She closed
her eyes. “It’s nothing. Nerves.”

He tugged
her to him. “Do nae lie to me, Chelsy.”

She looked
up at him. “I didn’t think you’d be back. I thought you were done with me.”

He
smoothed her unruly curls back from her face. “Och, lass, impossible. Yer stuck
with me.”

“But you
left without saying goodbye,” she protested. “And I didn’t hear from you all
day.”

Gordon
pinched her chin lightly. “Lass, tell me why you were so excited to learn
vampires are real.”

She
appeared confused but responded, “Because my grandmother used to tell me I’d
end up married to one someday.” She laughed softly. “Silly, huh?”

Gordon’s
chest tightened. He dipped his head and kissed her gently. “No. Its nae silly
in the least. I’ve something to tell you about me.”

Her hand
went to her neck. To the spot he’d bitten her during their love making. “I
didn’t imagine it, did I?”

“No,” he
confirmed. “You dinnae imagine me biting you.”

Her eyes
held a certain wonderment as she touched his lips. The edges of her mouth drew
upwards. “So, you’re a druid and a…a…”

“Blood
drinker,” he prompted. “Aye. Long ago, an attack left me what I am. I’m nae proud
and do nae expect you to accept me but…”

Chelsy
cupped his face and kissed his lips hungrily. “Oh, I accept you, Gordon. I
accept all of you.”

He smiled
against her mouth. “
Guid
.”

She kissed
him more.

“
Gráím
thú
,” he whispered.

Tossing open
the door, Gordon paused as he found a tall man standing there with a cat that
ate the canary grin upon his face. Gordon arched a brow, staring at the red
stocking cap upon his cousin’s head. “Coyle, why are you here and what the hell
is on yer head? Did you have a run in with Father Christmas in an alley too?”

Coyle
touched the hat. “They do nae sell festive hats for the solstice. This was the
best I could come up with.”

“Try
harder next time. You look like an
eejit
.”

Coyle
wagged his brows. “You and the misses ready for travel?”

“What in
name of the Goddess are you doing here?” Gordon demanded.

Coyle
continued to grin. “Korey and I were nae sure you’d haul yer stubborn ass back
so we drew straws to see who had to come assure you did.”

“You
lost?”

“No,”
Coyle stated, smiling even wider. “I won. It’s been a long time since we had a
go round, cousin.”

Gordon
rolled his eyes at his cousin’s antics. “Sorry to disappoint but the misses and
I are ready to go. She’s nae pleased to be leavin’ her
grandmere’s
shop behind, but I’ve assured her you’ll have people
handle the day to day runnin’ of it while she and I acclimate to life back in
the fold again.”

The
expression on Coyle’s face spoke a thousand words. He was pleased. Very, very
pleased. “
Guid
, cousin. Verra good.”

Chelsy
eased up behind Gordon. “Hello. I’d ask who you are but from the looks of it,
you’re related to this one.”

“Aye,”
Coyle said with a smile. “Yer tiny. How tall are you?”

“Tall
enough,” Gordon snapped. “You do nae need to be worryin’ about it. Fix yer gaze
elsewhere, cousin. Yer a married man.”

“From the
looks of it, you’ll be married too, soon enough,” Coyle returned.

Gordon
stiffened, unsure how Chelsy would take what he’d said. She slipped her hand
into his and tugged.

“Hurry up.
Get me to safety and then get a ring on my finger, bucko.”

He stared
at her. “But, lass, I share myself with darkness.”

“Once a
month I can get pretty dark too,” she said flippantly as she took a step
towards his cousin. “You coming?”

“Aye,” he
said with a smile. “I’d nae miss this adventure for the world.”

THE END