Binding Vows (12 page)

But why? What did I do to her?

It isn’t you, but what you are that she wants.

“I don’t get it,” Tara said aloud.

“Don’t get what?” Cassy asked.

“Ahh... I don’t get how I’m considering leaving with him.” Tara recovered, “I haven’t even known him very long.”

“Well, I think it’s awesome. When will you go, winter break?”

Tell her I have extended my stay, and you will be
with me while I’m here.

Tara shot him a look.

Have her go home without you.

Tara wanted to question him further, yet Cassy’s look demanded an answer now. Tara took a leap of faith. One she hoped she wouldn’t regret.

“Actually, he’s decided to stay around for awhile. I want you to take the car and go back without me.

Duncan and I are going to honeymoon for a few more days before he returns.”

What’s a honeymoon?

She laughed at his question. Cassy laughed at the implications.

“You go girl.”

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The sun set during their meal. Light ocean breezes fanned the flames on the torches and candles. Everything about the evening was magical.

What Tara didn’t know was how magical it was going to get.

Duncan sent Fin out ahead of them to retrieve their horses and supplies. He was torn with how he was getting Tara to come with him. Time was running out.

He shut her out of his thoughts for a while to hide the truth from her until she was safe.

When they left the dining area, Tara gave Cassy a frantic hug. “Don’t come back to the tent tonight. If I’m gone in the morning, know I am with him. I’ll call you when I can.”

“God, Tara it’s just sex. Trust me, it kind of hurts the first time.”

A single tear dropped. It was as if she was saying goodbye for more than a few days. “You’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had.”

“Oh man, now you’ve got me crying. Knock it off.” Cassy brushed at the tears on her cheeks. “Go, pop that cherry for God’s sake.”

When Tara turned to leave, Cassy said in a voice a bit too loud, “And use a condom.”

Several people heard Cassy’s comment.

Laughter rose up and everyone watched as Duncan and Tara left together.

Because it was expected, and many watched, they went to her tent. Inside was lit up like a 97

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Christmas tree. Rose petals covered the pallet and champagne chilled in a bucket.

“Wow. Did you do this?” Tara asked.

“She did.” Duncan dropped a bag on the bed with a frown. “Fill it quickly with whatever you think you need.”

Tara wanted to question why his urgency was so great. She didn’t. Instead, she shoved all her clothes and her purse into the bag. On impulse, she grabbed the bottle of champagne.

They exited the tent the same route they did the previous day. The brown muslin cape she had brought to the fair hid her pale dress and red hair.

Wordlessly, they walked behind tents and stuck to the shadows. When they reached the outskirts of camp they walked briskly until they reached the cover of trees.

Duncan kept silent, listening for any sound of alarm.

Tara however, was growing increasingly anxious and unsure of her decision to follow him without a better explanation as to why they were leaving in this manner. “Where exactly are we going?” she finally asked.

“Beyond this ridge. Fin is waiting with the horses.” Assuming that meant the horses would be loaded in a trailer and they were driving to their next destination, she asked. “And then?”

“Home.”

“I told you I didn’t have a passport. How do you expect to get me out of the country?”

“The same way I came.”

All right, that’s a bit cryptic.
“Do you have your own plane or something?”

“Something such as that.”

A rustle in the bushes in front of them stopped them in their tracks. Duncan whistled a low hum, met with one from beyond the trees. “’Tis Fin.”

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Fin was atop his horse, with Durk’s reins in his hand.

“Where’s the truck?” Tara asked surprised to see there wasn’t one.

Brother glanced at brother. Neither spoke.

“Okay, what’s going on? I’ve come along this far, but until I hear more I’m not budging another foot.” To make her point Tara sat on a rock and crossed her arms around her chest. “Give!”

Damn! I’d hoped this could wait until we made
our journey.

“Damn is right.” Tara voiced his word to make sure he knew she was listening. “And I would appreciate a better explanation as to how we can do that.”

“Do what?” Fin asked, obviously confused.

She eyed Duncan.
You tell him.

Duncan cleared his throat and turned to his brother. “It seems Tara and I have the ability to talk to each other in our minds.”

Tara waited for Fin to laugh and ask for details.

She waited in vain. “Oh,” was all he uttered.

“That’s it? Your brother says he can read my mind and all you can say is oh?”

“It isn’t uncommon amongst our people, Tara,”

Fin told her. “Our own parents have the ability to do it.” “You’re kidding.” Tara could tell by his look he wasn’t joking. Her unease elevated.

“We can’t stay here.” Duncan tossed her belongings on the back of his horse. “Grainna will soon notice our absence and send a search party after us.”

“Why exactly is that?”

“I told you she was evil, lass.”

“I agree she gave me the creeps at first, but why would she care if we are gone now?”

“We don’t have time for this.” Duncan almost 99

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barked his response. He took her arm only to have her pull it away.

“That’s too damn bad. You can make time, because without an explanation I’m not moving from this spot.”

“Think, My Lady. Why would Grainna single out a virgin amongst everyone else? Why would it matter to her that you are one? No one would be the wiser if you weren’t.”

True.
“Go on.”

“Don’t you think it strange she kept you away from all the men, only to thrust you and me together in the end?” Duncan looked her in the eye. “Your room screamed out for us to be together tonight.”

True.
“Why?”

“Grainna is a very powerful...person. She’s very old.” Duncan shot his brother a look, as if asking for his support. “She needs you, or what it is you are, to give her the ability to gain more power and strength.”

Tara chuckled, “Are you saying she’s some kind of a witch?”

“Aye, something like that.” Duncan bent down on one knee and took her hand. “Now, we have to keep moving.”

Tara snatched her hand away. “She’s a witch and she wants to what, sacrifice a virgin? Me?”

Again, brother looked at brother with sober looks.

“You know something? I don’t think it’s me who’s crazy.” Tara stood up and started backing away. She mumbled a disbelief in magic and witches. “I think you are the ones who are nuts! So I tell you what. You two just go on your merry little way and I’ll go mine.” Tara tripped on a fallen branch in her haste to get away. Duncan caught her arm and kept her from tumbling.

“I can’t let you do that.”

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“I don’t see how you have a choice. This has all been fun and exciting. I appreciate the good time, really I do.” She attempted to pull away. This time he didn’t let her go.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere,” Fin spoke up.

“If we could prove to you magic exists, would you wait to hear the rest of our tale once we are out of harm’s way?”

Her nervous laugh echoed off the valley walls.

“Okay, prove it.”

“Not here. There’s a place a few miles away that will help us prove magic exists.” Fin pulled up the reins on his horse, signifying he was done talking.

Could they be luring me to a private spot to kill
me?
Tara asked herself.

“We won’t harm you. Look at me,” Duncan demanded when she refused. “Look through me. Tell me what you see.”

Because she was scared and angry at herself for being so gullible, Tara did look into him. In his heart, she felt his fear for her safety. She saw his visions of the two of them kissing, felt the heat of the cord, which bound their wrists together during the handfasting ceremony.

Nowhere did she see malice or harm.
Trust me.

Duncan told her with his mind.

“If I go with you both, and end up dead, I’ll never forgive you.”

****

“Grainna,” Fin declared, then forced his horse into a full gallop.

Riding in front of Duncan was becoming commonplace for Tara. The darkness of the night and the speed of the horses made the ride less comfortable

She didn’t have energy to concern herself about 101

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where they were going. They were traveling so fast, all she could think about was staying on the horse.

Duncan and Fin must have seen some type of landmark, because they took a sharp turn and were once again surrounded by trees. They stopped, but Tara saw and heard nothing. Even the breeze halted. The night music which was made up of circuits and scurrying nocturnal animals abruptly ended.

Both Fin and Duncan jumped from their horses.

Duncan helped her to her feet and handed her both sets of reins. “What are we doing here?” Tara asked, fear shaking her voice.

Duncan brushed away dirt and branches covering an erect stone standing like a pillar on the ground. Similarly, Fin unearthed two more. There were six altogether when they finished. They circled the stones where they stood.

Voices carried through the forest. Their horses pranced and snorted the air. “We don’t have much time.” Duncan hurried Fin.

“You wanted to see magic, Tara McAllister.” Fin led her over to one of the stones. “Touch it.”

Tara hesitated.
This is crazy!

But when she lifted her hand to the stone, she felt a pulse emanate from it. When her fingers touched the surface, etchings emerged and glowed in amber light. She pulled her hand back as if burned.

“How?” she asked.

Fin placed a hand on her cheek. “Later, now we have to leave.”

Duncan watched her examine her hand and stare at the glowing rock. Fin nudged him into action when the voices came closer.

One by one, both brothers touched each stone and set them alight with only a brush of their fingers, just as Tara had done. Once lit, the air inside the circle shimmered. There was no other way 102

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to describe how the air changed. It was like the fabric of space detached itself from the surrounding forest.

The horses responded and pulled against their tethers. Duncan laid his hand on Durk’s side and spoke to him in Gaelic, instantly calming the animal.

He turned and did the same to Fin’s horse.

Fin started to chant in a sing-song rhythm in a language Tara didn’t understand. She swore she saw trees shift outside the stones. Squinting her eyes, Tara searched harder to see what was happening.

But the world outside the stones was changing and she began to hyperventilate.

Weak and unsure about how she felt, she grasped Duncan’s hand. “What’s happening?” She had to raise her voice because the air had grown thick, and the wind started to blow. Her skirts molded against her legs. The ground began to quake.

Seeing her panic, Duncan crushed her to his side. “I promise you everything will be all right,” he yelled in her ear. Lightning shot out of the stones and converged together over their heads.

At the same time, Grainna appeared from the forest to witness their departure. “No,” Grainna yelled, throwing herself from her horse.

“Hold on!” Duncan yelled as the earth crumbled beneath their feet.

Plastered against him, Tara saw swirls of light in the air. Strong wind whipped all around.

Thundering noise came out of nowhere. Gone were the trees, the stars or anything other than the three of them and the horses.

It was impossible to talk or even think. Tara’s body threatened to crumble. She closed her eyes, buried her head in Duncan’s chest, and prayed everything would stop. ****

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Tara had fainted in Duncan’s arms. The cyclone ended. Rain pelted the travelers with the dying wind.

When the world righted once again Duncan picked up his bride and climbed into his saddle with her in his arms, leaving Fin to collect the stones.

His bride, he mused. How the hell was he going to explain that to her once she woke up?

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Except for the peat and coals burning in the hearth, the room was dark when Tara woke up. The fresh smell of rain saturated her senses. A nice summer storm always lifted her spirits. They were so rare in Southern California. She kept her eyes closed, and let herself wake up slowly, snuggling beneath numerous blankets in the soft inviting bed.

When her eyes finally blinked open, she noticed the nightgown covering her arms. She usually slept in nothing more than a t-shirt and found it odd to feel sleeves reaching to her wrists. Tara picked up her arm, puzzled by the fabric.
“Ah well,”
she pondered as she shut her eyes again,
“it has been a
strange few days.”

Her eyes flew open with the memory of the last few days.

Tara shot up in bed and looked around the room.

The walls were made of stone, the kind that belonged on the outside of a house instead of inside it. The fireplace across the room gave off little heat, and the smell of peat and coal embers filled the air.

Again, she smelled the rain and heard a slight patter of drops behind the curtains.

She tossed back the blankets and climbed from the huge bed. When her bare feet touched the carpet covering the stone floor, she realized how cold and damp the room was.

The hem of the full-length nightgown dropped to her heels when she stood. Tara had never seen the gown before and couldn’t remember putting it on.