MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE: Book 2 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles (10 page)

“Cailin,” he breathed, breaking their kiss only a moment before delving in for more, his arms pulling her harder against him.

Lacing her fingers in his hair, she clung to this moment and the euphoria she never wanted to end. Light-headed, breathless, her knees trembling, her stomach fluttering with the flock of a thousand butterflies—

“Ahem!”

Cailin jumped out of James’s arms and whipped around to face a scowling Margeret.

“I was told, Master James, that you were to be behavin’ yerself whilst you were here.” She uncrossed her arms and planted her fists on her hips. “Seems I cannot be leavin’ you two alone.” She marched to a chair in the corner of the room and plopped down, wriggling her rump into the seat, glaring eyes watchful.

Cailin avoided his face and brushed her palms against her skirts. “Would you care for some drink, Master James?” Without waiting for his answer, she scampered to the trestle table and poured a mug of small beer from the pitcher she had brought in anticipation of his arrival.

“Nay,” he quipped. “I had plenty in my chambers.”

“Oh.” She smoothed her hands over her skirts again. “Mayhap I can bring you something to eat from the kitchens. I believe—”

“Nay.” James’s brow creased and he paced the length of the room in a slow and deliberate stride, a thoughtful frown marring his features.

Cailin glared at Margeret, who glared back. The presence of her handmaid obviously put James into a foul mood. How to get him out of it, Cailin was at a loss and she gritted her teeth again, clasping her hands behind her back to still her rising frustration.

James faced Cailin, his eyebrows a straight line over his jade eyes. “Have I been gone so long, we no longer know each other?”

“You
have
been away for over seven years,” she answered tentatively. “Surely, you have gone through some transformation of your own.”

“Aye, that I have.” He resumed pacing, his right arm crossed over his chest, supporting his left elbow as he absently pinched and tugged his bottom lip.

“I can assure you,
I
have changed much.”

He stopped and placed his hands upon his hips. “Aye,
that
you
have. You are not what you pretend to be. You are definitely not what I expected.”

His sweet kisses seemed to indicate otherwise, yet here he stood scolding her. Cailin squeezed her fists, still behind her back. “Am I no longer pleasing to you, Master James?” She had tried to make her voice even and unemotional, however, she internally grumbled at how her words grated and displayed her anger clearly.

The corner of his mouth turned up. “I see the lass I knew as a child.”

He is mocking me!
She inhaled deeply, not allowing herself to be goaded. “I do not know what you mean. I am indeed a mature woman and have spent the last several years learning my duties as a wife.” She paced.
Though my combat training may have been a higher priority, I think I’ve managed both well.
“I know such things as running a household, embroidery, maintaining the dairy, organizing—”

“And who was that woman I encountered in the alley?” He tapped his foot and scowled.

“You caught me unawares! That was a woman defending herself against a thief!” Tears stung the backs of her eyes.

“Stop pretending to be something you are not, Cailin! I do not—”

She ran from the parlor and scampered up the stairs toward her chamber.

“Cailin!” James’s voice faded behind her and she burst into her room with Margeret in her wake.

Closing the chamber door, Margeret scolded, “Child, why did you run? You need to face that man—”

“I don’t trust myself to keep my anger in check!” Cailin paced. “You saw how easily I am incited to wrath. How am I going to be this dutiful wife he is expecting me to be? You heard him. He hated that woman he met in the alley. ‘Tis who I am and he hates me!”

“Oh, he does not hate you, child!”

Cailin stomped into her wardrobe and donned her cloak.

“Where are you going?” Margeret blocked her from leaving the room.

“I wish to go for a ride. You know it clears my head.” She tried to push past Margeret, but she side-stepped to block Cailin’s exit.

“Nay! Look out the window! Dusk is upon us. Your rides are never short ventures.”

Cailin relented and flopped onto her bed, growling. “Enough! I will stay inside, but leave me to work myself through this.” She pouted. “Mayhap I may even find a short rest. Wake me when my father has risen.” She tossed her cloak to the settee and lay rigidly on the bed while Margeret exited the chamber with a frown.

Huffing out a ragged breath, Cailin stared at the ceiling with her fingers entwined across her belly. Her heart thudded in her ears. She inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm her spirit.
I’m a fool. I cannot do a simple thing such as control my temper. What is so difficult about this?

She turned to her side and hugged her pillow.

It would be so much easier if I had never learned to defend myself. I should have trusted Da, and eventually James, to protect me. There was no need for me to have learned to fight.

She turned onto her back and squeezed her eyes shut against the memories of the man falling to the ground, his blood— She groaned and curled into a ball.

If Da had never come into our lives, if he and my mother had never fallen in love, Angus would not target us.
Shaking her head, she turned to her other side.
Nay. Angus will target anyone in Broderick’s life. It’s Angus who is the cause of all my woes. If he wasn’t such a coward and faced Da one-on-one, then those he loved would not be in danger.

She flipped onto her back again.

Oh I wish
I
could be the one to drive my dagger into Angus’s heart! No matter how skilled I am with the blades or how I can prevent him from hearing my thoughts, he’s still immortal. He’ll have such an advantage over me. Nay, I cannot blame the man I call father for this life. It’s because of Da I know the face of true love. I see it in their marriage. Such a love, the eternal devotion he shares with my mother, is worth dying for. It’s the kind of love I crave, one I believe I can have with James…if I could just be disciplined enough to be the woman he needs me to be…the woman I need to be for myself.

Hugging her knees to her chest, Cailin wept at the helplessness overwhelming her.

* * * * *

Though the hours were short, Broderick refused to leave without making sweet love to Davina one last time. She had been snuggled to his side, waiting for him to awaken, and he had slipped into the bliss of her warmth. Reluctant to leave her arms, he grudgingly encouraged them to dress, and then asked her to gather Cailin and Margeret in the parlor. He would meet them there with James to say his farewells, after he had a brief word and gave further instructions to his future son-in-law.

“Broderick.”

He stopped at the door of their chamber and glanced over his shoulder.

“Mayhap you should wait until you return to let James know about Fiona.”

“Nay, Blossom. If he does encounter Alistair, I want the lad to know the truth.”

She sighed. “Aye, my love.”

Broderick made his speech to James brief and the lad took the news well. Afterward, he escorted James to the parlor. Davina handed Broderick his satchel, which he slung over his shoulder and across his chest to hang at his hip. With his arm around her, he faced the small group of people he loved. “As you know, I don’t like to venture anywhere without those dearest to my heart. However, on this occasion, I fear the dangers in bringing you with me outweigh the benefits. I know not where this journey will lead, who will be awaiting me other than this prophetess or what the outcome will be. My only consolation is I’m leaving a very powerful amulet of protection behind along with the superior skills of both my future son-in-law and the precious girl I am privileged to call my daughter by name.” He focused on Cailin. “Use the walls of this fortress, little one. During the day, they are a haven. At night, you will have the amulet.” He embraced his daughter. Nodding to Davina, Broderick stepped back as she came forward with the small box Rosselyn delivered from Amice. Cailin opened the box and Broderick stood behind her, lifting her hair from the back of her neck. “Put on this amulet, wear it close to your skin, and
never
take it off. Do you understand me, Cailin?”

She nodded, reached into the box and tied the ends of the leather cord together behind her neck. Davina placed the box onto the trestle table along the parlor wall.

“Conceal it wherever you need to so it will protect you from Vamsyrians at all times.”

Cailin obeyed with a wide-eyed expression, tucking the amulet into her bodice.

“It is my greatest hope I learn how to make more of these so you all might wear them and, at last, be safe from my enemy.” He faced James. “Though I will be gone only a few days, I want you practicing those routines I demonstrated for you. And Cailin…I want you to teach him what you know about blocking your thoughts and some of the moves you have perfected.”

Cailin’s eyes grew even wider and she shook her head, and then scratched her temple, indicating she wanted Broderick to read her thoughts. He nodded, but heard nothing of her mind. Her eyes pleaded with Broderick and he frowned. “Cailin, I cannot—” His breath hitched with dawning realization. “Take off the amulet for a moment, child, and hand it to your mother.”

Cailin slipped the medallion over her head and handed it to Davina.

“Try again,” he encouraged.

Do not ask me to engage in combat with James, Da! He abhors such behavior in a woman, especially of his betrothed.

Broderick shook his head.
You are mistaken, Cailin. We do not have time to discuss this. Trust me when I say this should not vex you so.
“Put the amulet back on, Cailin.”

She grumbled, but obeyed.

“Now try to say something else to me with your thoughts.” Broderick waited and again heard nothing. “If you just communicated your mind to me, I did not hear it. It appears this amulet also prevents Vamsyrians from hearing thoughts. Well, that will be another way you will all gain some privacy against my gifts.”

Chuckles and subdued laughter floated about them.

“I will make haste and not tarry so that I might be back with this treasured information as soon as possible. Until then, stay close and within these walls.”

Several heads bobbed in agreement.

Davina strolled with Broderick to the main gate while James and Cailin lingered by the front entrance. Broderick pulled Davina into his arms. “Eternally yours,” he whispered into her hair.

“Together forever,” she responded and her tears seeped through the material of his shirt, warming his skin.

Savoring Davina’s lips, he kissed her one last time, then whirled around and avoided looking back as he pushed through the gate. He would be traveling on foot using his immortal speed, as a horse could never run as fast or for as long as he. Thunder rumbled in the distance and he scanned the black sky, void of stars. Moisture tainted the air and he groaned. As if in response, the showers began. Though the rain wouldn’t slow him down, he did not relish running in it. In hopes of protecting Davina, he dashed through the pelting drops, leaving the fortress and the very breath of his soul behind him.

Chapter Four

His new stilettos at his side, sweat dripping off his brows, James stood on the mat with his eyes focused on a decorative sword hanging on the wall across the room. The Training Room—as Broderick named it—appeared different during the day, a dull light from the overcast sky coming through the oriel windows and illuminating the canvas-padded mats strewn about the wooden floor. A few cabinets and boards with blunt-edged weapons hanging on pegs covered the wall opposite the windows. The daylight showed off the splendor of the room decorated with various shields, weapons and paintings of battle scenes, something James wasn’t able to fully enjoy the night he sparred with Broderick.

Hands relaxed at his hips, he employed the technique he learned at
Fechtschulen
to gradually work through the next exercise. Moving slowly, he grabbed the daggers, slid them out of their sheaths, elbowed his invisible opponent behind him and spun to stab his phantom chest. James shook his head and replaced the daggers.
Sloppy. Again.

He repeated the movement several times at a slower pace to ensure he was comfortable with each step in the execution. Once he performed the maneuver smoothly and with ease, he increased his speed. On occasion, he’d drop a weapon, curse himself and start again. The point of the exercises this morning were to complete as many of the movements Broderick had taught him without having to think about what to do.

Grab the daggers. Elbow opponent. Spin and pivot. Stab through the heart. Grab. Elbow. Spin. Stab. Grab. Elbow. Spin. Stab.

And then to accomplish the moves while thinking of something else.

Grab. Elbow. Spin. Stab. Why must she…grab…always run…elbow…when our exchanges…spin…turn into heated…stab…arguments? Grab…she has always been…elbow…one to speak her mind…spin…and now I see…stab…her holding back…grab…and hiding behind…elbow…this façade…spin…of the dutiful wife…stab. What I would like to do is GRAB her by the ELBOW, SPIN her around and STAB her with my—