More than ready, I was about to sink to the mattress, lower his plaid, and enjoy every last bit of him, but we were interrupted again.
This time, by the last thing either of us expected, yet well worth paying attention to.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
–Broderick–
IHAD EXPERIENCED a lot of strange things in my time as a dragon, but nothing as impactful or telling as what happened between Aspen and me just as we were about to make love one last time before going downstairs to welcome the king.
One moment, I was looking at her.
The next, I seemed to be caught in some kind of vision.
From the looks of it, I gazed through Aspen's eyes, seeing myself in the woodland astride my black horse along with several other MacLeod warriors. It was clear by the fierce scowl on my face, the Viking sword in hand, and how fast I raced in her direction, I was ready for battle.
“What are you doing?” she whispered into my mind, turning astride her horse with a fearful look in her eyes as I rushed to intercept those with whom she traveled. Sutherlands, all, with the worst of the lot, theirlaird, by her side.
Her eyes rounded, and she shook her head as I crashed blades with the first Sutherland to intercept me, desperate to get to her. I slit his neck and attacked the next one while the warriors traveling with me crossed blades as well. I was so intent on getting to her I was unaware of the incoming ambush until it was too late.
“How dare ye, MacLeod!” Dugal roared, yanking Aspen off her horse and onto his lap. “’Twill be war betwixt us now!”
Without a doubt, when far too many enemy clansmen attacked us and, for some reason, we didn’t shift into our dragons to defend ourselves. Instead, it was a bloody massacre as my men were pulled from their horses and slaughtered. Roaring in rage and pain at losing some of my closest friends and best warriors, it only got worse when four Sutherlands attacked me at once.
I ducked, swirled, and sliced my blade, downing three of them, but the fourth nearly got me had Lucas not come out of nowhere and caught him with a mace to the side of his neck, roaring like a berserker and fighting like a madman.
“I told you to watch over our clan, cousin,” I cursed, still viewing myself from Aspen’s perspective, both terrified for her and enraged we were being bombarded like this. Things got even worse when everyone was killed except me and Lucas, and it became painfully clear we were overwhelmed by far too many. We fought valiantly with everything in us, but it didn’t look good.
“No!” Aspen wailed in grief when, alas, we were both driven through and fell to our deaths, only for the vision to snap away.
We were back in my chamber in MacLeod Castle.
“GoodGod,” she exclaimed, blinking back tears while trying to reacclimate to our surroundings after what must have been a shared vision, clearly relieved to see me alive and well. “What thehelljust happened?”
“I dinnae know.” I shook my head, trying to understand when her dragon tattoo caught my attention, and I took her wrist. “Though I suspect this has everything to do with it.”
Aspen’s gaze fell to the soft glow emitting from her tattoo before her attention drifted past me. “I think you’re right because your Viking sword is also glowing.” Seeming to sense something in that, she ran the pad of her thumb over her tattoo and murmured, “We were given a glimpse of things that could come to pass.” When her steady gaze returned to me, her inner beast flared in her eyes, warning my dragon to take heed. “A glimpse of what will come to pass if you try to stop me from going with Dugal Sutherland.”
“Nay,” I denied, refusing to believe it. “I willnae let things get that far.”
“You might have no choice.” She wiped away the tears my death had invoked and wore a look of determination I didn’t much like. “Whatever happens, if I end up having to go with him, you can’t follow me.” She shook her head and frowned, her tone as serious as her violet eyes when she looked at me. “If you do, you and Lucas will die, leaving your clan without its laird, protector, and strongest dragon, and I’ll be alone with the Sutherland's six hundred years in my past.”
“Rest assured, ‘twillnothappen,” I promised, pulling her into my arms because I wanted her nowhere else. “I will heed your vision and find a way around it if it should come to that.”
“I’m not sure you can find a way around a vision,” she murmured before I cupped her cheek and dropped gentle kisses on her lips, trying to distract her from the conversation because, vision or not, there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her out of Dugal’s hands.
Better still, out of his bed.
More than ready for her back in my,ourbed, I was about to chant away her clothes and deepen our kiss, but regrettably, I sensed the king and his men crossing onto MacLeod territory.
“Hell,” I muttered, vaguely considering lying with her quickly this time, but I knew better. Despite Kenneth's assurances, I needed to get downstairs and see that everything was in order. Not just that, but the castle would be aflutter with news of the king's arrival, so best I be present to set their minds at ease, given the state of things lately and England’s ongoing aggression.
So, after dressing appropriately for a royal arrival in MacLeod colors, complete with a brooch at my shoulder, I saw to Aspen’s attire, dressing her like my mother had the first night because red truly did suit her. Not just that, but I wanted my clan’s colors all over her so there was no mistaking she was ours. Could the king overrule that?
Indeed, but I didn’t intend to make it easy for him.
Sheathing the Viking blade at my back, I joined her at the spacious opening overlooking the choppy, deep green sea. The retreating clouds gave way to a blazing melon and violet sunset, turning her eyes to a pure fiery purple.
“I love the weather here,” she said softly, taking in the white-tipped waves beholden to an ever-gusty salt-ridden wind. “So volatile and exciting.” Her gaze dropped to the stone shelves leading down to last night’s memories, and a small, womanly smile curled her mouth. “Like this place and the memories I’m making here on what I’m still convinced will be the best adventure of my life.” Her eyes met mine. “Already is, for that matter.”
