Silent Vows (28 page)

Myra kept her eyes closed and asked, “Who’s doing that?”

‘Not me’ was the collective answer.

“Just relax, go with it.” The green hills dotted with sheep rushed past them, another village swept into view, not the village outside MacCoinnich’s Keep. “Where is that?”

“Lancaster,” Myra told Lizzy.

Their minds traveled farther, then turned toward the forest. The imagery came so fast it felt as if an eagle soared above the clouds, complete with dips and turns.

As fast as they raced, they stopped. Myra noticed a blur of a rundown home before their journey suddenly ended.

Grainna peered into a glass sphere in front of a fire. The room had the stench of death in every corner.

Amber gasped when the vision of a blood soaked table emerged.

“Stay calm.” Myra held her sister’s hand tighter.

“Is that her?”

Tara’s hand trembled in hers. “Yes, but...”

“Younger,” Liz finished Tara’s sentence.

“Yeah, a lot younger.”

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Duncan finally spoke up. “Can she see you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What do you see?” Ian asked.

“She watches. She watches Steel in her sphere.”

“She’s angry,” Amber told them.

“I think you’re right, but why?”

Myra felt Tara’s mind wander the room in which Grainna stood. “Oh, God.”

“What?” a choir of voices asked in the room.

“Don’t look, Tara. There is nothing we can do for them.” Myra knew the minute Lizzy saw the dead, at least two of them. Liz felt Tara’s pulse start to pound too fast. The thought shifted into Myra’s head quickly. Worry and fear made her open her eyes.

“We have to end this.”

“I’m okay,” Tara assured them all. “What else is she seeing in the crystal?”

Myra tried to look, but the image in the cloudy glass became distorted. “Can you feel anything, Amber?”

“Anger. Violence. Peace.”

“Why peace?”

“She sees her redemption, but the image angers her.” Suddenly, Grainna swiveled away from her crystal ball and looked around the room.

They grew still, held their breath. She waved her hands over the sphere, which grew dark. Her eyes pierced the orb as she started to chant.

Tara felt the hair on her arms start to stand on end. “We have to get out of there.” The chant was familiar.

“Fast.”

They opened their eyes removing the image, but not the link. “Okay, Duncan, get ready to catch.” Liz told him.

“Catch what?”

“Your wife. Myra?”

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Myra acknowledged Lizzy’s request. “Thank you for our link and inspection. Close our circle and our connection.”

From Myra, a gust of wind blew out the candles, but not before Grainna squealed.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, that’s a first.”

“Ready?”

“Grab the chair, Duncan.”

“Why?”

“Help him, Todd.” Myra nodded.

Once the men were in position the ladies let go breaking their link and fell.

Tara braced herself, but instead of falling, the men caught her weight, although somewhat off guard, and placed her gently on the ground. “That was better.”

Duncan swirled around on her, stared down with a watchful eye. “Do you mean to say, you have been falling to the floor every time you did this?” He tossed his hand to the women nursing aching backsides.

“It wasn’t so bad...”

“Tara Louise MacCoinnich, ‘tis our child you carry and I will not have you taking that fall again.”

Myra’s brows shot up with his full use of Tara’s name. Lizzy’s eyes widened quickly.

Tara sent Duncan a coy smile. “It isn’t so bad.”

Duncan’s stern face melted when his eyes matched his wife’s. His hands grabbed hers. He knelt to her level. “I can’t bear the thought of you hurt, lass.”

“I never hurt.” She passed a quick look to the women in the circle. “Not much anyway.”

The other men helped the women to their feet.

“What happened?” Ian asked.

Collectively, the sisters moved around the room, returning candles, cushions and any evidence of 246

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what they had been doing. It was poetic to watch, and very well orchestrated.

“Well?” Fin finally asked.

“Grainna noticed us,” Lizzy told him.

“Are you sure?”

Amber sat by her mother when she asked.

“Why else did we hear her? And we all sensed the need to get out.”

Fin moved to the fire and tossed a log inside. He caught a flame with his hand, played with it while he thought.

“Liz is right. She knew something.”

“What did you see?” Fin tossed a ball of fire in his hand like it was a marble.

“They were outside Lancaster. In the forest.”

“They?”

“Aye, Grainna and Steel and other people. Many more,” Myra said.

“How many more?”

“Two dozen, maybe more.”

Fin tossed the ball of flame into the hearth.

“Knights?”

“Some,” Myra told him. “Others were servants and only numbers, men who obviously haven’t been trained for war.”

“How could you tell? We moved by them so quickly.”

“There were horses, only knights have horses,”

Myra explained to Lizzy. “Or noblemen, Grainna would have no use for them.”

“Amber.” Liz sat next to her on the bed. “Did you feel anything else?”

“Fear. Grainna was afraid of something.”

“Good.” Todd stood next to Myra, touched her arm briefly, then let her go. “Fear will make her sloppy, irrational. Which can be to our benefit.”

“Can you map out where she was?” Duncan asked his sister.

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“I think so.”

“We need to do something quickly, she’s killing people, Duncan,” Tara pleaded. “Her youth is returning, with it her strength.”

Myra leaned into Todd’s shoulder; fear surged through her. Tara held her unborn child as if protecting it from evil. Amber stood beside Simon who had moved next to his mom. Ian and Lora stared at each other. An overwhelming sense of dread hovered deep in the room.

Would they all survive? Would her strong family be whole when this was complete?

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The night before the men were to ride out to find and destroy Grainna, Myra slipped into Todd’s room.

He sat next to the fireplace, his feet resting on a table in front of him. After placing the rope on the door, she went to his side. Settling at his feet, she placed her head in his lap. His hand stoked her hair.

“Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“No, not really. All this waiting around for her to strike is a lot harder to handle.”

“It does feel better to be doing something.”

“Yes.” The slow gentle strokes of his hand had her snuggling deeper. “Are you going to be okay here?”

“We’ll be safe. My father’s men will protect us at all costs. ’Tis you and my family I worry for. Are you sure you are ready?”

Todd’s deep breath caused her to look up and into his eyes. “This may not be my time, but fighting the good fight doesn’t change from century to century. I might not be able to spit fire from my fingertips like all of you, but I can still kick some serious ass.”

Myra laughed despite herself. Her smile quickly faded as her concern for his welfare sent doubt through every inch of her body.

“Don’t do that,” Todd scolded.

“Do what?”

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“Look at me like I’m never coming back.” He closed her face within his hands and kissed her soundly. She went pliant in his arms, wanting him closer still. When he broke their kiss and sat back, his thumb traced her lips. “I’m a fool,” he said more to himself than her.

“Why?”

“I let you fall in love with me.”

“Let me?” she laughed.

He searched her eyes. “When I was a child, my mother sat home after my father went to work and said a prayer for his safe return every night. She didn’t realize the worried expression that crossed over her every time a police car drove by. Or how she jumped when the phone rang. It was like she knew the call would come someday to tell her my father was dead.”

His painful memories translated into a heartfelt sob in her throat.

Todd went on, “When the call came, I held her while she crumbled to the floor, but I wasn’t enough.

I didn’t have what she needed to pick up the pieces after my father’s death. When she died, only months after we buried my father, I swore I would never put a woman through that anguish. Here I am, doing exactly that with you.”

Tears glistened in Myra’s eyes. “Your parents must have loved each other deeply.”

“They did.”

“They had a happy life, then?”

“Yeah, the best.”

“Do you think they would have wanted it any other way?” Todd started to answer but Myra held up a hand for him to stop. “Your father had a reason to come home every night, Todd. He was probably more careful with every step he took because of the love he had for your mother and for you.”

“Probably.”

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“We have little choice as to whom we fall in love with. And you’re right. I do love you. When I left your time, I knew I’d never find another to take your place. I was destined to live my life with only the memories of our few weeks together. Fate brought us together again. I have a hard time believing fate would be cruel enough to take you away from me now. If she did, however, I’d always look back on these times and remember our love.” Myra snuggled into his palm as he caressed her cheek.

His finger circled her neck, holding her in place as he drew her in for another taste, another kiss.

Only this time his touch was tender, deeper than any they had shared before. Myra leaned into him, her breasts brushed up against his chest searching for more contact. Todd backed away. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Make love to me, Todd.”

He shook his head. “No.”

She sat back, shocked at his refusal. His playful smile had her eyes narrow and lips draw into a pout.

“Why?”

Instead of answering, he stood, urging her to her feet. Without words, he marched across the room, took the cord off the door, and opened it.

“What are you doing?” Myra poked her head out into the long hall and ducked back into the room.

“Someone will see us.”

“Let them.”

His eyes twinkled as he pulled her along with him on the short path to her parents’ chambers.

Myra’s heart pounded in her chest. Part of her knew exactly what Todd was doing. The other part, the one that wanted to hide in a corner, was frightened, worried about her father’s reaction. A thrill shot up her spine and threatened to escape in a completely adolescent giggle.

When Todd pounded on the door, it sounded like 251

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a cannon in the silence of the hall. Hiding behind Todd, Myra tried to ignore the doors down the hall opening and the heated stares from her siblings.

On Todd’s second knock, Ian flung open the door in alarm. Myra’s hand gripped Todd’s as the fierce look on her father’s face rounded on them. Todd tossed the ‘silence cord’ in Ian’s direction.

He caught it with a glare.

“I’m going to marry your daughter.”

Myra’s eyes grew big as saucers.

A muscle ticked in her father’s jaw.

“Are you asking, lad?”

Oh, God
.

Todd turned to her, smiled. “Marry me.”

A short laugh burst out. “He wants you to ask him,” she explained.

“I don’t want to marry him. I want to marry you.” But he was joking. His hand moved around her waist and pulled her close. “Marry me, Myra. Give me a reason to come home every night.”

“Oh, Todd.” All nerves and fear swept away when she boldly kissed him in front of her entire family.

Ian’s growl broke their kiss. “Let it be known that this man…” Ian grabbed Todd’s hand from Myra’s shoulder. “Has spoken for this woman.” Myra felt her father remove her hand from Todd’s hip and place it in Todd’s. “They are now considered handfasted until a man of…” Ian’s words trailed away when Todd kissed her again. “…a little attention, if you please.”

Todd pulled away, smiled.

“Until a man of the church can be brought forth to marry the two of you.”

Smiling, Todd picked her up and carried her back to his room. Myra grinned at Tara as they passed her room and caught a glimpse of her father’s smirk before Todd kicked the door closed behind 252

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them.

****

Figuratively, literally. His hand traveled down the side of her waist, fingers brushed against her hardened nipples, and she arched into him, wanting nothing less than complete possession of him.

Tender kisses brought her breathing to short heated gasps.

He brushed her hair back, causing her to open her eyes. Emotion clouded his stare.

“I love you, Myra. I have no idea how I’m going to provide for you here in your time. I just know I can’t live without you. I want to give you the world.”

“You are my world,” she whispered. “Once, when I slept alone in your house, I silently chanted and vowed to love you three times as much as you loved me.” He kissed her nose. “Then I need to love you even more to make up for your vow.”

A single stroke of his hand up her thigh and under her gown reminded Myra of where she was.

The fact that her moan could be heard down the silent hall had her holding back. That simple act made his touch seem more intense, more explosive.

Stripping away her gown was like opening a long awaited present. The anticipation was more than Todd had ever known. She was his, forever, completely. The idea of walking down the hall and claiming her hit him as primal, medieval in every sense of the word. He knew long ago he would never return to Anaheim. His life as Officer Todd Blakely held nothing compared to his life as Sir Blakely, husband of Myra Blakely. If he rode to his death tomorrow, he would hold no regrets for his actions.

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