Celtic Fury (22 page)

“That’s my angel. Feel me lovin’ ye’. Feel me inside of ye’…”

“Ahhh Ruiri, mmm, yes
,”
she sighed, responding so well to him. She was moaning softly with each thrust and he knew she was getting closer. She was so responsive to him, and he was happy that she could feel pleasured releases with him. She reacted to every caress.

She needed it faster and she moaned, “Harder Ruiri…pleas
e…” He was happy to oblige her.
He whispered, “Ye’ make me so excited, Sweetheart” With that profession, he felt her pulsing around him, drenching him in her delicious moist heat. He loved how she felt around him; how she became so wet; responding so completely to him. She was keening softly, with each thrust and he knew she was almost there.

As her body sheathed him and her muscles rippled around him, he was
quickly getting to that place,
too. He wanted to make her come with him and as the pressure built up inside him, he knew it was not going to take either of them long. To assure her release with his, he eased his fingers beneath her and he gently touched her, connecting with her sensitive clit. She felt him surging into her as he tauntingly circled the hardened little bud. It was all she could do to not to scream, but she cried out with such intensity, feeling the cresting excitement building toward release. Holding her, he leaned close to her ear and he encouraged, “Just feel it,
S
weetheart. I want ye’ to come…now, with me.”

“Are ye’ going to?”

“Aye, love.”
He used his fingers to finish her and as she came, shuddering in his arms, she felt his seed explode inside of her. She trembled from the powerful force of his release and she felt the shattering as she came again, a second time so soon after the first in a wave of pleasure. He felt her come again and he was elated. He watched her sink to her forearms, breathing hard and feeling once again overcome with emotion. She felt his hands drawing her into his arms, but she didn’t want him to see that she was caught up in emotion.

As he turned her in his arms to kiss her, he saw tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Concern instantly registered on his handsome face and he said, “Oh, my God, did I hurt ye? I keep forgetting ye
’
are new to this and that
you are so very small.” 
She touched his face and sobbed, “Ye’ didna’ hurt me.”

As his lips wandered over her tears he asked, “What then, Brielle?” Tucking her face against his chest, she murmured, “I just love ye’ so much, Ruiri. I never dreamed it would be like this.” He fought the urge to smile because he didn’t want her to think he was making light of her profession. In fact his heart seemed to swell in his chest, with love for her, too. He kissed her brow, holding her solidly in his arms.

“So, these are tears of love, then?” She nodded. Her lips wandered over the strong plains of his chest.

“I love ye,’ Brielle. Dunna’ be ashamed of feeling that way.”

“I just did not want you to see me cry. I dunna’ want you to think I am unhappy, when really I don’t think I have ever been happier. The only person who ever loved me was
my grandfather and now…there is
you. Ye’ have cherished me, made me feel like I am valuable…like I am beautiful…like I finally belong somewhere and to someone. I had long resigned that my life was best spent alone and now, there is you.”

Rory blinked at her hard felt emotions. Here she was saying he had given her back her dreams when it was she who had done the same for him.

She held onto him, not wanting to let him go for even one second and she continued, “I fell in love with ye’ upon opening my eyes and seeing ye
’
that day of the accident. I didna’ understand why I would fall in love…especially with a man I didn’t know, but it was beyond all reason. I never dreamed you would love me too…and when it seemed, you would not, I resigned my fate to loving you alone and was grateful for it. But then, ye
’
came to love me, too. It was the greatest gift I could have asked for.” 

He stroked over her arms and he rested his chin against her hair. He felt that overflowing love spilling from his heart.

“I know that yer’ brothers mistreated ye
’
and I am so sorry for that. Ye
’
are the most loving person I have ever known and ye
’
deserved to be treated like a precious treasure. I only have one sister…you will meet her someday and she will adore you…I love her deeply and I canna’ imagine abusing her. It hurts my heart to think of their cruelness to ye
’
. But know this, Brielle. While I live, ye
’
are mine and no more shall ye
’
ever feel unloved. No harm shall ever come to ye’ by my hands. Not all men treat women like yer’ brothers have treated ye’. Ye’ are part of me, now. Ye
’
will only know love in this house. Never will ye
’
know violence against ye’ here.”

He kissed her softly and he said, “Ye’ have my heart Gabrielle. And know this, that it is not lightly given. Now, in loving you, I know that without ye’, I will not be complete. I may live, but without ye’, I will die inside.” When he said her full name, it was like a term of endearment. Nestling against him, she said, “Ruiri, this will sound strange, but that accident was the best thing that happened to me. If I hadn’t been left to die on that road, I would have ne’re found ye
’
. Now I too am complete.” As Rory held her in his arms, he felt sated…and…he felt happy. Truly happy! Like the comfort of un-tormented sleep, he could not remember when he had felt truly happy.

After taking some time to grab a bite to eat, Rory lit a fire and told Brielle they would spend the night in the little cottage as it had grown late and would make no sense to travel back in the dark. The warmth of the fire took care of the chill in the cottage after the sun had set. They passed the night, talking, kissing and making love. Brielle was pretty certain she had never been this happy in her entire life, either. She had found her true love. There was no longer clan division between them. They were one.

Chapter Twenty

Rory and Brielle made their way back to the keep by mid morning of the next day. They were met with a very concerned Caleb. Rory teased, “Da, no need for worry. We weren’t far, we were just, ye
’
know, seeing the village and such. I was with Brielle to keep her safe.”

“I was NOT worried ye
’
were not safe. T’is matters at hand that demand immediate resolve.” 

Caleb did not want to trouble the couple who had so recently found happiness in each other, but he had no choice
but to disclose the events of the past day
.

“One of the rival clans to the north has begun raiding again. Yer’ brothers are riding out before first light to put an end to it.”  Rory glanced over at Brielle, whose face had turned ashen.

“It is not my brothers, is it, Caleb?” 

“Oh nay, Lass, nay. T’is the MacDougals.” 

Rory listened and then turning to Brielle, he said, “I will need to go with them, Brielle.” 

She stammered, “H-How long will ye
’
be away?” She didn’t want to be apart from him so soon.

“A few days, love, hopefully not more than that.”

Brielle nodded and whispered, “Oh.”

Rory tipped her head up to his and he said, “Look at me, please, Sweetheart.” Her eyes rose to his and he said, “Ye' are NOT to worry.”

“But Rory, we told Father Duncan that…” Understanding passed through Rory’s eyes.

“Oh, aye, the wedding…Sweetheart I promise to marry ye' as soon as I get back. I always keep my word. In the mean time, enjoy planning the wedding. Be a happy bride. Morag will help ye' and the time will pass quickly. And when I return, love, I will make good that promise.”

Rory did not want to make a bungle of their wedding, knowing how much it meant to his Brielle to be bound finally to a man she actually loved. He vowed to take extra means to make the day romantic and wonderful for her. He leaned close to her and kissed her and whispered, “I must do this, Brielle. Ye
’
understand, don’t ye?” With a deep sigh she said, “Aye, t’is what men do.”

Kissing her again, he said, “Ye
’
are an angel.” She gave him a sideways glance and said, “I dinna’ say I liked it. But in loving ye
’
, I have to love the total man and that means loving the warrior, too.” 

“I dunna’ like it much either, but our livestock feeds our people. We canna’ risk losing even one sheep or one cow.” She sighed again and said, “I do know. And I do understand.
Our clans are not so different in that regard.
”  Rory drew her into his arms and he held her tightly.

He said, “Ye
’
are part of
this
clan, now, Brielle. These are yer’ people as much as they are mine.” 

With her head lowered again, she whispered, “It’s just that I have only had two nights in yer
’
arms. I dunna’ want to sleep without you.” 

Rory smiled at her and he whispered, “Ye
’
can always imagine the things I did that ye
’
enjoyed so much.”

Caleb saw color rising in Brielle’s face. Clearing his throat he said, “Alright Ruiri. T'is enough. Ye' are embarrassing the girl.”

“Oh, I am not, Da.” Rory kissed the side of Brielle's face and said, “She will get used to my ways. She knows I am playing, isn’t that right, sweetheart.”  She met his eyes and nodded, but she wasn’t smiling. Rory held her against himself and he said, “Ye’ will be alright.”

She felt the sting of tears forming behind her eyes.

Rory stopped teasing her and he said, “I am sorry, love. Ye
’
know I don’t wish to leave you. Look, I will ready now so we can have a few hours to ourselves before I go.”

Brielle, nodded and turned, feeling her heart shatter in her chest. She took a deep breath and decided to help the women prepare provisions for their men
. He was her man now and she would join in the preparations the others did
. As Rory turned to leave the room, he saw her head was down and he could swear he saw the glint of tears clinging to her long lashes.
Those damned unshed tears! They tore his heart every time.

Will ye sleep alone, Ruiri, or will another warm yer’ bed?
Rory stopped in his tracks and turned back to her
. It still astounded him that he could hear her thoughts so clearly
. Taking her in his arms he put his mouth against her ear.
             

“Nay, Lass. Ye
’
are the only woman for me now.” Realizing he heard her heart, she thanked him. He had
indeed,
heard her thoughts plainly.

He said out loud, “I love ye’ lass. I wouldna’ hurt ye’ like that.” He kissed her and said, “I will meet you in our chambers later.” And then he turned to ready for the raid; once again a warrior
; the Highland Wolf
; the lover tamped down and hidden. This was her warrior and loving him meant accepting that part of him, too.

It was
much
late
r in the night
when Rory made his way back to his chambers. He found Brielle asleep under thick furs. He took a moment to gaze at her and he felt his heart thump hard beneath the thick muscles of his chest.
The realization that she was his woman hit him like a punch.
She was his! She looked like a sleeping angel, as the sable of her hair, draped over one arm and blended in with the fur tucked beneath her chin. She had her hand daintily laid beneath her cheek and he thought he could look at her sleeping like that forever. Her sooty lashes rested on the rise of her cheeks and her lips were parted slightly in sleep. After undressing, he slid into bed beside her. He hated to wake her, but he wanted to feel her love to hold him through his time away from her. He eased his hand over her shoulder. He smiled to himself. She had come to bed naked.

He kissed her ear and said, “Sweetheart, I want to love ye’.”

As soft as a sigh, she said,
“Ruiri…love me.”
He could tell she was still mostly asleep and he felt a little guilty for waking her, but he needed her and that quelled the remorse for the moment.

He laughed and said, “Soon.” His voice held the promise of passion and erotic love to soon follow.

“I need to kiss ye’ first, Brielle.”

Brielle turned in his arms, feeling his warmth behind her, sleepily coming awake at his touch. He pressed her back to his chest, stroking down her arms. He kissed her neck softly, moving his hands over her shoulders then gently circling around her waist. He nuzzled her neck, gently nibbling. He felt a shiver course through her. Gently taking an ear lobe between his teeth, he blew a soft waft of air against the delicate little shell. She moaned softly and it was sweet music to his ears. He carefully tilted her head back and he kissed her mouth. He loved kissing her. Her mouth was sweet, and even in this odd position, he was enjoying the kiss. She turned, put her arms around him and kissed him completely. He felt her hot little tongue flick against his own. She tasted of sweet spiced mead and he wanted to drink of it like nectar. She stretched against him and he felt her deliciously peaked breasts scrape against his chest. Feeling her nipples hardened against him sent fire through his loins. His hands moved up her sides to cup her breasts lovingly. He loved how they felt filling his hands with their soft warmth.