He was draped in black, from the black metal helmet that concealed all but his mouth, a portion of his jaw and his eyes, eyes that seemed as dark as his garments, all the way down to his black leather boots. He walked with such powerful strides that his black cloak bellowed out behind him or perhaps it was the pointed, stiff leather spikes that ran along his shoulders and down the upper arms of his leather tunic that kept the cloakflight.
He seemed to grow in size the closer he got and Heather’s fear grew with each step he took. It was no wonder he was called the Dark Dragon. He was a size taller than most men and broad with thick muscles that left no doubt as to his potent strength.
Fear reached up from deep inside Heather and gripped at her stomach. He had to weigh eighteen or more stones where she barely weighed eight stones and her head reached only to his shoulder. There was no possible way for her to defend herself against this man. Her only way to survive this marriage was to submit to him and that thought terrified her.
“Welcome to our home,” Donald Macinnes said with a respectful nod when the Dark Dragon came to a stop in front of him.
“I came for what is mine. I will collect my wife and take my leave.” His strong voice added to the force of his commanding tone.
“Drink and food first, to celebrate the uniting of our people,” Donald offered.
“We leave now.” He stretched his black glove-covered hand out to Heather.
She kept her hand tucked firmly against her stomach, knowing once she took his hand—she was his forever.
Emma hurried to her sister’s side. “Please, share a drink with us. It will give us time to bid our sister farewell. We will miss her terribly.” Tears began to roll down her cheeks. “Please do not deprive us of a little more time with her.”
Heather turned from her father to comfort her sister as she had done so many times throughout the years.
The Dark Dragon glared at Emma. “Tears are wasted on me. Say your good-byes and be done with it.”
Both women were stunned by his heartless words, and Emma sent a quick look to Patience. Their plan had worked. They now knew that the Dark Dragon had no soul. The only question was—how did they protect their sister against the heartless beast?
Patience went to step forward, ready to try another plan she had given thought to and before she could speak the Dark Dragon’s powerful voice rang out.
“See that your wife holds her tongue, Hunter, or I will see it cut from her mouth.”
Patience’s green eyes blazed with fury and Hunter caught her firmly around the waist before she charged for the Dark Dragon.
“Now is not the time,” he whispered as she struggled to free herself.
Heather paled. Would he truly cut her sister’s tongue from her mouth? Could he be that monstrous?
Donald Macinnes stepped forward. “I will know where you take my daughter, and my family and I will know the face of her husband before you leave here.”
The Dark Dragon took a quick step forward and his voice turned to an angry growl. “You will make no demands of me, Macinnes.”
Patience jabbed her husband so hard in the ribs that his arms fell away from her and she charged at the Dark Dragon, her dirk drawn when she stopped in front of him.
“You will respect my father and his wishes or we can go to war now,” she shouted, shaking the dirk in his face.
Hunter quickly stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest, fearful of what the Dark Dragon would do before he could reach hisimpetuous wife and calm the situation. His heart slammed against his chest when in an instant the Dark Dragon’s hand snapped out, grabbed Patience’s wrist, spun her around, and slammed her back against his chest, forcing her dirk against her throat.
Hunter stopped where he was and Rogan stepped up beside him, both men keeping their hands off the hilt of their swords, not wanting to make the dire situation worse.
Heather never knew any fear when it came to defending and protecting her sisters and it was the same for her now. She stepped forward, her only thought to save her sister, and said, “You have won. I am your obedient wife. I will go with you willingly. I only ask that you do not mar this day that I take leave from my family with bloodshed. And I ask my husband if he would be so generous as to respect my father’s wishes and do as he asks so he does not needlessly worry about his daughter. I also beg your forgiveness for my sister’s impulsive actions.”
Complete silence filled the Great Hall as breaths were held, waiting to see what the Dark Dragon would do. He did not make a move and there was not a flicker or hint in his dark, soulless eyes to her heartfelt words.
Suddenly he swung Patience away from him, snatching her dirk from her hand as he did. Hunter quickly stepped forward to grab her andsteady her and to hold her in a way she could not escape him again.
The Dark Dragon threw the dirk, landing it in the wood floor close to Patience’s boot. “Turn it on me again and nothing will save you.”
To Hunter’s relief Patience did not reach to retrieve it. His wife was wise enough to understand not only the foolishness of her rash actions, but what it had cost her sister.
The Dark Dragon glared at Heather for a moment, and then once again silence filled the Great Hall as ever so slowly, he raised his hands to his helmet.
Heather held her breath and thought to close her eyes, fearful of what she would see but too fearful to look away. A gasp caught in her throat when he fully removed his helmet while several gasps circled the room. Heather’s one and only thought was—only evil could be that stunningly handsome.
