This time Rhys stopped, though abruptly and yanked her up against. “Evil can take the most faithful soul and rip it apart before it destroys it completely. No amount of faith can survive against pure evil.”
Heather felt a tug in her heart. She did not know when or how it had happened, but Rhys had obviously suffered at the hands of someone vile. She wished that she could somehow ease his pain of the memories that no doubt haunted him. So, she did what instinct urged her to do—she kissed him.
Her kiss felt like a rope being tossed to a drowning man. Only it was not the sea, she was rescuing him from, but the horrendous darkness that forever consumed him. And he could not stop himself from holding on tight and not letting go.
Her lips were strong, demanding, and full of passion, but then Heather had a passion like no other. She had a passion for everything, and it was contagious, drawing you in, making you want to smile even when you had no reason to, and making you believe she could save you from the devil himself.
Rhys felt the grip to his heart, the kick to his gut and he reached up, grabbed the hair at the back of her head and yanked her head back, reluctantly breaking the kiss. “Are you ready to sink into the darkness with me?”
She winced from the pain of his grip and once again rested her hand against his chest. “Are you ready for me to pull you from the dark?”
“You haven’t the strength,” he said, wishing differently.
“Perhaps, but I can try.”
“And if you fail?”
“Then the Dragon will not be alone in the darkness anymore.”
Rhys brought his mouth down on hers and kissed her with a fierceness that ran a shiver of fear through her. She could taste his ferocious hunger and she worried it could never be satisfied.
He tore his mouth away from hers. “You quake in my arms from a mere kiss. What will you do when I plant myself inside you and ride you endlessly?”
The thought frightened and excited her at the same time and she wondered if she was already slipping into the darkness with him. “I do not know, for I have never lain with a man.”
“And no other will ever touch you but me,” he said and softened the grip at the back of her head as he kissed her again, his hunger tempered. He ended the kiss abruptly again and turned his head. “You better pray this interruption is important.”
Heather looked to see Pitt standing there. She had not heard him approach, but then she had been too occupied with his kiss to hear anything.
“Your uncle awaits you in the Great Hall.”
“I will be there shortly,” Rhys said and turned to his wife.
She slipped out of his arms. “We must hurry. We do not want to keep your uncle waiting and I am eager to hear news of my family.” A strong tug to her arm stopped her abruptly.
“He is not here to see you.”
“But surely, he will expect to see me if only to share news of my family. You would not deprive me of that, would you?”
“What possible news could there be with you gone barely two days?”
“There is my da’s illness and Emma’s pregnancy and with Patience’s impatience there is no telling what she has gotten herself into. And there is the summer harvest that needs to be prepared for winter and?—”
“Enough!” Rhys said with his hand raised. “I will grant you a few moments with him and then you will leave us.”
He started walking and she hurried to keep step with him.
* * *
Rhys spottedthe look of relief on his uncle Ewan’s face when he saw Heather. This was more than a visit to speak with his nephew. It was to see how Heather was faring.
“It is good to see you looking well, Heather,” Ewan said, having stood as the couple approached the table.
“I am quite well, thank you, and adapting nicely to my marriage,” Heather said with a smile. She was aware that Ewan would report all he saw to her sisters, and she did not want them worrying about her. There were far too many other important things to concern themselves with.
“Your sisters send their regards and hope to visit soon,” Ewan said with a glance to his nephew.
But it was Heather who answered. “Please tell them I look forward to their visit and will send an invite as soon as I settle in here.”
