Dark Embrace (36 page)

God, MacNeil's cryptic words made so much sense now.

Aidan had chosen to die, but then her love had made him choose to live. And they wouldn't have been able to change his execution if it hadn't been one big, fat mistake to begin with. Brie didn't know how his true Fate had gotten messed up, but if there was an explanation, she'd figure it out. She went to the window and stared out at Loch Awe.

It was a beautiful, sunny winter day, with the snow coating the shore and hanging thick on the pine trees, the loch gleaming sapphire blue, the mountains capped silver-white against the blue sky. From where she stood she could see the bridge that led to that shore—and it was intact.

She trembled. Aidan had chosen to live, and by now, or shortly, he would be reunited with his son. She did not want to ever visit Loch Awe again and see Castle Awe in ruins.

Brie walked over to the fireplace, where a servant had a huge blaze roaring. She was uncertain. Just where did she fit in, now that she'd saved Aidan's life and redeemed his soul?

He was starting over. He had a new journey to make. Brie knew he'd rejoin the Brotherhood. But Ian had suffered terribly, and father and son were reuniting after a tragically long time. She wanted to stay and help them recover their relationship. It wasn't going to be easy, because Ian was probably going to turn into a grown man in a few days, weeks or months.

She didn't blame Ian for his enmity. Like Aidan, he could and would heal, wouldn't he? She shivered. Someone else would have to take on Ian if he remained as dark and bitter in the past as he'd been in the future. It had been her destiny to heal Aidan.

Brie flushed. Healing Aidan was only a part of why she wanted to stay. She wanted to stay because she loved him so much that it hurt.

She inhaled. He hadn't asked her to stay. Even if he did, she should be sensible and go home. He cared for her—she was certain—but for how long? She had to face that it was going to hurt even more when he one day decided to pursue a really beautiful woman. They'd shared so much, but…

She didn't finish her thought. She felt unbearably saddened when she should have been thrilled.

And then she felt so much hot, blazing male desire and power that she whirled.
Aidan.

Aidan stood in the doorway, his eyes bright and bold with interest. He still wanted her. Her desire spun, joining his.

“Did you find him?” she whispered. It was hard to speak, because she knew exactly what he had on his mind. He had come to take her to bed and she couldn't wait to be in his powerful embrace. She'd worry about going home in the morning.

For one moment, he simply stared at her, and then she saw his hands move to his sword belt. He unbuckled it as he entered the chamber, leine bulging, laying the swords and belt carefully upon the chest.

Brie took a breath. Her body had fired, everywhere, but her heart wept. She had never thought anyone could be so happy and so sad at once.

“Aye, lass, I found him.” He gave her a solemn look.

Brie knew what the sober glance meant. “Is he okay?” she managed carefully.

“He's well enough, considerin' he's been imprisoned for sixty-six years,” Aidan said grimly. “He's home now. He's scarred, but he'll mend.” He tossed his black plaid on the room's single chair and proceeded to pull off his boots, one by one.

He wasn't hiding his desire from her, but Brie couldn't quite feel the rest of his emotions. He had to be overjoyed—either that, or he was consumed with worry. “Was he happy to see you?”

Aidan met her gaze, about to strip off his leine. “At first.” His gaze darkened. “He's been through hell. He blames me. I dinna blame him. I'll always blame myself.”

“Don't,” Brie begged. “Do not blame yourself. He has a lot to work through. We'll help. Others will help. He has his Fate, too.”

“Aye, he has his Fate. I dinna ken what Fate it is.”

“What?” Brie gasped.

He hesitated. “Evil preys on the children most of all.”

“It's terrible, Aidan, but sometimes it does seem that way.”

He smiled slightly at her and tore the tunic over his head. “Will ye help me protect them?”

He was hugely aroused, a mass of bulging muscle. With that face of an Adonis, no man could be more perfect. “You are so beautiful,” she whispered. Love made her heart surge, her knees weaken. “It's sort of hard to have a rational conversation now.”

His smile flashed. “I need to make love to you, Brianna,” he said. He started toward her. “Will ye help me save the children?”

“What does that mean?” He was making it sound like a partnership.

Amusement sparkled briefly in his eyes as he took her in his arms. “I have a really beautiful woman, Brianna Rose. Beautiful an' brave an' very, very clever.”

Brie held on to his massive shoulders. “Please don't say anything you might regret tomorrow,” she whispered.

He cradled her face. “When will ye realize I love ye deeply?”

She drew in a breath.

“Ye saved my life,” he said softly. “Ye gave me back my son. Ye gave me back my heart. I have hope, and joy.” He smiled at her. “I love ye, Brianna. My heart
sings.
”

Brie inhaled again, shaking her head. “You're grateful and you care. It's okay. I never expected love.” She touched his beautiful face. “Gratitude and desire aren't love. I don't expect anything, really, not long-term.”

“Ye are the most stubborn woman—an' that can be annoyin!” he exclaimed. “I dinna wish fer anyone else. I dinna need a
supermodel
. I need a small, stubborn woman by my side, in my heart and in my bed! I asked ye if ye'd help me protect the children. Willna ye answer?”

“Of course I'll help,” she managed.
What did he mean?

He grinned. “What if I teach ye how to lurk in my mind?”

She stared, motionless, except for her heart, which thundered. “Deal,” she whispered.

He dropped the shield guarding his emotions.

His love struck her with the force of an energy blast, but he held her waist, preventing her from reeling backward. Brie cried out, his love for her flooding her, stunning her. She met his mischievous eyes, shocked.

His grasp on her waist tightened. “Will ye swoon?”

How could he love her so much? she somehow wondered. She was whirling in the tidal wave of his powerful feelings. “I might!”

“But I haven't even begun to tease ye yet,” he said, and he abruptly jerked on the waistband of her jeans, opening the snap. Brie was instantly, acutely aware of his knuckles pressed into her lower belly, close to the elastic of her bikini underwear. Then his smile vanished. “Listen,” he said softly.

Brie searched his gaze.

“Nay, I said
listen.
”

Brie stared into his eyes and he stared back.

I love ye so much. I need ye, Brianna, to sleep with every night an' wake up with every morning. I canna let ye go home, not now, not ever. If I take ye as my wife, to love an' to cherish, until death parts us, will ye stay here with me? I will try to make ye happy, lass….

Brie was stunned. “You want to
marry
me?” she cried. She had never imagined Aidan marrying anyone, ever.

He lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed, sitting beside her. “Lass, I more than love ye. If ye refuse, I'll marry ye, anyway, usin' my powers of enchantment.” His smile faded and his gaze became searching.

Brie somehow nodded. She was going to cry, she thought helplessly, in joy and happiness.

“I may have begun to love ye the day we first met, when I was with Lady Allie.” He touched her hair. “Ye were so pretty an' so shy, but I could sense your kindness, Brianna, an' something else…I dinna ken. Ye made me pause.”

Brie stroked his rough jaw. “We didn't even speak to one another.”

He shrugged. “I dinna have to speak with ye to hear ye well.”

Of course he didn't. He was her destiny, and she was his. He'd heard her across centuries—and she'd heard him across time, too.

Her soul mate was a medieval Highlander—with a fondness for Gucci.

“Yes, Aidan, I will marry you.”

He grinned, clearly pleased and just a bit smug. He pressed her down onto the bed. “Can we finish this conversation later? I have a great an' pressin' need.”

“No kidding,” Brie whispered. And a moment later, there was no conversation at all. Brie gave herself over to him—and to their god-given destiny.