Midnight's Promise (42 page)

Evie let the gust of wind slide over her. “I’m carrying a child of a prophecy, Elena. A child who is supposed to house all the evil of the world. How can I let it live?”

“If you think Malcolm is going to allow Wallace to take your baby, then you don’t know him,” she said with a wink.

“You’re right.” Evie couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of that. She was so mired in everything else she had forgotten who Malcolm was at his core.

Elena bumped against her with her shoulder. “He’s worried about you. He’s been standing at the bottom of the hill watching you for the past hour.”

Surprised, Evie turned and looked over her shoulder to find Malcolm just where Elena said he was.

“Go to him,” Elena urged. “Brian will be occupied for a while, and I’ll make sure no one bothers either of you for at least two hours.”

Evie nodded before she turned and started toward Malcolm. The closer she got to him, the more she saw his face was set in hard lines, almost as if he were preparing himself for something.

She stopped a few paces from him. “I didn’t know about the necklace, Malcolm. I swear.”

“I doona care about that.”

“If Jason discovers what the spell is—”

“Then he will,” Malcolm interrupted her.

She shook her head in amazement. “Does nothing faze you?”

“Everything when it comes to you, apparently.”

Her heart skipped a beat as his words sank in. “Because I carry your child?”

“Because you are you.”

She was entangled, caught, trapped in his azure gaze. An emotion, deep and profound, was there for her to see, to accept if she was but willing.

Evie didn’t have to think twice. She closed the distance between them and flung her arms around Malcolm’s neck. He held her tightly, his mouth descending upon hers in a scorching kiss.

His arms were like bands of steel holding her captive against him as he plundered her mouth, demanding she yield completely.

She offered everything she had—body, heart, and soul. With one touch he had ensnared her, enticed her. Enthralled her. He was everything she wanted, everything she needed.

The kiss deepened, his chest rumbling with a moan. Evie’s body burned for him, craved to feel him inside her, filling her.

“I have to have you,” he murmured as he kissed down her neck.

Evie’s head dropped back. The cool wind raced over her heated skin. “Yes. I’m not complete unless you’re inside me.”

She barely took notice when he lifted her in his arms and began walking. How he could think, much less stand upright when his mouth was wreaking havoc against her skin boggled her mind.

The next thing she knew, she was on her back with Malcolm’s delicious weight atop her. She groaned when she felt his hard arousal.

Her sweater was pulled over her head just before his lips claimed hers again. She sank her fingers into the silky locks of his thick, blond hair.

So much had happened between them, and yet they hadn’t shared much in the way of words. Suddenly, she had to tell him how she felt, had to make him realize just what he meant to her.

Evie broke the kiss and pushed against his chest until he lifted his head and his gaze pierced her. Her breathing was ragged, her heart pounding as she looked into his eyes and saw the same need she knew was reflected in hers. The world melted away then.

With the feel of his heart beating against her palm she realized that somewhere along the way she had fallen hopelessly, madly in love with Malcolm.

The words tangled in her throat as her emotions welled high. She wanted him to know, needed to tell him.

Their gazes still locked together, Malcolm shifted until she sat upon his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist. When had their clothes been removed? And then she no longer cared as he lifted her over his rod.

Evie sucked in a breath when she first lowered herself onto his staff. He was thick and impossibly hard. Skin to skin beneath the sun and sky their bodies—and hearts—joined. The rhythm was slow, sensual as she moved her hips, causing her nipples to graze his chest.

His azure eyes darkened, a moan falling from his lips as he kept one hand on her hip and the other wrapped around her. They moved as one, taking the other higher with each thrust, each touch.

Evie was sinking into Malcolm, into all that he was. She could feel his heartbeat, hear his breath … savor his very essence.

He drew her closer until their lips nearly met as the desire knotted tighter and tighter inside her. Her skin sizzled, her blood burned through her veins. All for Malcolm.

As she welcomed the love for him, some shackle she hadn’t known was around her heart fell away. She became … more. She was everywhere and yet nowhere. She could reach past the stars and into chaos. She was as small as an atom, as fierce as the sun.

She was a Druid.

And she had given her heart and soul to a Warrior.

“Evie,” Malcolm whispered reverently.

Her body shattered, the climax sweeping her away on a current of bliss that took her higher, deeper than she thought possible.

As she rode the waves of ecstasy, Malcolm’s fingers dug into her as he orgasmed.

Their breaths mingled, their hearts beating together as the pleasure coalesced into something bright and intangible. No longer were they two people—but one.

Whatever had just happened, it changed everything. But for once, Evie knew only good could come of it. Because she had Malcolm.

She cupped his face as the last tremors from her climax faded. “Whatever comes next, I can face it with you beside me.”

“I wouldna be anywhere else.” His thumb brushed her bottom lip. “I didna dare hope that I would ever find you. I’m no’ going to let you go without a fight.”

“I didn’t know about the spell in my necklace.”

He gave a shake of his head. “As I said, I doona care. The others may want to be mortal once more, but there has to be someone to fight evil.”

“And that will be you?”

“Aye. If the Druids at MacLeod Castle can live four centuries, then so can you.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It’s one of several things I want, but it’s a start.”

The teasing light in his blue eyes made her smile. “Together then.”

“Together.”

They weren’t words of love, but for a man who hadn’t experienced emotion in a long time, they were just as good.

*   *   *

Phelan stood at the windows of Con’s office and watched Malcolm and Evie walk back to the manor hand in hand. “So you’re pissed.”

Con gave a snort. “Do I agree with what you did? Nay. And you know it. I’m no’ the one you need to apologize to.”

“I was trying to help him.”

“Aye. And so were Charon and Laura when they told everyone you were with Aisley. I distinctly remember you being a tad on the angry side then.”

Phelan rubbed his forehead and faced Constantine. “I admit I forgot all about that when I discovered what Evie was.”

“What is Evie but a Druid who was backed into a corner and did what she thought best to save lives? Both Aisley and Isla have proven that just because they performed the ceremony to become
drough
doesna make them evil.”

“Okay. So I fucked up. I knew Aisley wasna evil when I met her.”

Con lifted a blond brow. “Malcolm uses the same argument, except Evie wasna
drough
when he met her. He’s known her before and after the ceremony. I also sense no evil in her.”

“Yet.” Phelan leaned against the wall and shook his head. “Malcolm has been through so much. What if Evie is working with Wallace? What if she was meant to get close to Malcolm and turn him against us?”

Con’s forehead furrowed. “Malcolm has been on the edge of darkness for a while. We’ve known he could fall either way. You have a valid point when it comes to Wallace, but I agree with Malcolm that Evie is trustworthy.”

“You’re going to chance the entire world on that?”

“Aye. And I’d do the same for you if you were in Malcolm’s shoes. I trust my instincts, Phelan.”

Phelan blew out a breath. “I was on the outside looking in for so long. I think that’s why I understood Malcolm before. He’s been given the short end of the stick on most things. I doona want to see him lose it all now.”

“Then we make sure he doesna,” Con said, his black eyes full of determination and resolve.

One side of Phelan’s mouth lifted in a grin. “Agreed.”

CHAPTER
FIFTY

Despite the circumstances, Malcolm wanted to smile about everything. Nothing was sorted yet, but they had months before the baby came to find a way out of the mess with Wallace. And he wouldn’t stop searching until he discovered how to kill the bastard.

He wanted more time alone with Evie, but the women of Dreagan, along with Larena, had pulled her into a room as soon as they returned to the mansion. Malcolm stared at the closed door for several minutes before he went in search of Brian.

Malcolm opened the front door to find Rhys walking toward the house.

“Just who I was looking for,” Rhys said. “I need to patrol around the east side of our property. Fancy helping me?”

“Aye.” Malcolm was never one who liked to sit around anyway.

“Good. I’ll race you there.”

Malcolm raised a brow. “I’m no’ foolish enough to race a dragon.”

“I’m no’ going to shift into dragon form,” Rhys said, affronted. Then he smiled. “But I still can beat you.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Malcolm nodded. “Where does this race end?”

“At the cabin on the east range. Do you need a map, Warrior?” Rhys teased.

“I’ll find it, and still beat you, Dragon.”

“What are you waiting on?” Rhys said with a laugh as he took off running.

Malcolm was quick to follow, feeling freer than he could ever remember. Evie had steadied him while giving light to his bleak world. By doing so, she released him from his prison.

There was evil to kill and Wallace’s machinations to work out, but none of that mattered at the moment. He had his woman, a babe in her womb, and his friends. Nothing was going to hold him back from having it all. Not now.

Not ever.

*   *   *

Jason parked his hunter green Jaguar XF two miles from the border of Dreagan land and climbed out. When he discovered the dragons had been hiding on none other than Dreagan land, it all clicked into place.

The teleportation spell still hadn’t worked, much to his fury. There hadn’t been a spell he couldn’t work with ease since he returned from the dead. Why the teleportation spell was different he wasn’t sure.

He looked around the forest before he glanced at the sky. Any moment he expected to see a dragon. The dragons would sense him near, he was sure. It hadn’t taken him long to work out that he’d been on Dreagan land when he had died during the battle with Charon and Laura.

At least the selmyr wouldn’t return. Aisley had somehow managed to trap them again. The dragons, however, were still a concern. They’d remained hidden for so long that there wasn’t much known about them.

No matter how many questions he had asked, Jason received few answers. He wasn’t concerned though. His magic was strong enough to kill whatever he needed to.

“First, there’s the little matter of Malcolm,” he said with a smirk.

How easily Evie and Malcolm believed he would allow them to live together until the babe was born. He wanted them to let their guard down before he struck again. Jason’s intent had been to wait a week, but he found he enjoyed toying with Malcolm too much to put it off.

With a simple spell, Jason discovered Malcolm and Evie were apart. The timing was perfect. He closed his eyes and thought of Malcolm, the link between them snapping into place.

His smile grew as he imagined Malcolm’s furious expression. But the Warrior would come.

*   *   *

Malcolm instantly halted, grabbing his head as pain exploded. Then Jason’s voice filled his mind. Malcolm roared, he and Daal both struggling against the intrusion.

“
There’s no use fighting,”
Jason’s voice said. “
We have a link, Malcolm. My blood in you. There is nowhere you can run, no place you can hide that I willna find you.”

“What do you want?” Malcolm demanded as he fell to his knees from the agony of Jason in his head.

“You.
”

“Never!”

“How foolish of you to leave Evie. Even with the dragons.”

Malcolm squeezed his eyes closed. He drew in a deep breath and flattened his hands on the earth before he lifted his head and searched for Wallace. “Come on out, you son of a bitch.”

“Ah, my mother was a bitch, but I’d prefer if you didna call her such. And I willna be the one coming to you. You will come to me. I have what’s most precious to you after all—Evie.”

Too many times Jason had fooled them. Malcolm wouldn’t fall into that trap again. He yanked out his mobile and tried to call Evie. Only to find there was no reception.

Malcolm jumped to his feet and ran to the highest point on the mountain, scrambling over rocks, jumping from one boulder to the other, ignoring the pounding of his head. But his phone still wouldn’t connect.

“I’m waiting, Malcolm. The longer I wait, the more I hurt her.”

“You wouldna dare to harm the bairn.”

Jason’s laugh was loud as it bounced around Malcolm’s head.
“There are other ways I can torture your woman. How long will you let her suffer before you come and claim her?”

Malcolm knew it was a trap, but how could he not go to Evie? He glanced around hoping to catch sight of Rhys or even another dragon flying, but there was no one.

For the first time, Malcolm hated the solitude he’d always sought. He couldn’t stand there a moment longer if there was even a shred of doubt that Evie could be in Jason’s grasp.

“Turn southwest, Malcolm. I’ll be waiting.”

Malcolm wanted Wallace out of his head, and as soon as he found the bastard, he would make sure Wallace was never able to command him like that again.

The farther southwest he walked, the farther he moved from the manor—the one place where there were people who could help. Malcolm paused several times, debating on returning to Dreagan and getting the dragons in the hopes they reached Evie in time. But in the end, Malcolm couldn’t stand the thought of Evie harmed by Wallace in any way.