Page 100 of Dark Embrace

He cried out.

She had known it would be a painful suggestion. “There has to be a communication between you both.”

“Why willna ye leave me be?” he cried. “I have to go to Urquhart. I ken ye think I’ll hang there.”

“Don’t you care?” she cried.

“If I hang, then I will have vanquished Moray and Ian will surely rest in peace then!”

His grief surged, battering her, but she withstood it, overcome with alarm, MacNeil’s riddle echoing in her mind. “Oh, God. You will choose to die!”

She suddenly knew that if he went to Urquhart now, he would hang. And it was more than the way he had been speaking. The certainty was so strong it paralyzed her. Brie rushed to bar his way. “I can’t let you go.”

He halted. “Ye willna stop me,” he warned.

She blurted out, “I love you. Don’t go.”

Their gazes locked.

She touched his face and he flinched. “You hurt me so much, but it doesn’t matter. I will always love you. I’m here to save you, body and soul. Don’t go.”

“Stop,” he whispered. “Please stop.”

“Stop loving you? Impossible. Stop believing in your redemption? No.”

He breathed hard. “If I die, Brianna, all of Alba will rejoice, because that means Moray will be dead. I willna hang otherwise. Brianna, I can find peace in death…and Ian will be free.”

She cried out, “I will not rejoice! And don’t you dare even think you will find peace in death. Aidan, there is peace in salvation.”

He stared at her grimly, and she stared back, terrified. “How can ye love me as ye do? I have done nothing but fight ye.”

“You didn’t fight me last night. You didn’t fight me on the plain, when I was dying. You didn’t fight me in New York, when those boys were preparing to murder me.”

“I am sorry ye care so much,” he finally said. “Ye should care for a man like Seoc.”

She wiped her tears then caught his rigid shoulders. “We don’t get to choose love, Aidan. Just like we don’t get to choose Fate. MacNeil saw me coming for you. I know you won’t believe it, but I’m your Fate.”

His eyes widened.

She felt more tears fall. He hadn’t moved. She stood on tiptoe and brushed her mouth over his.

He remained still.

What was she doing, throwing herself at him? She was a dud. She was shy, a techno geek, and no one had ever wanted her. Aidan didn’t want her, either.

He had said so.

He had made it very clear that it had been a one-night stand.

Her love wasn’t going to delay him or dissuade him. MacNeil was wrong. Aidan was going to hang, and there wasn’t going to be any redemption.

Brie broke the one-sided kiss, a product of her hopelessly one-sided love, and sank to stand flat-footed. She smiled sadly at him. “If you have to go, take me with you.”

He shook his head and reached out, his hand trembling. With his thumb, he wiped her tears and dropped the shield on his emotions.

Brie went still, her heart thundering, amazed.

“I want ye very much, Brianna Rose. I always have,” he said harshly. “I dinna ken the word ‘dud,’ but I dinna like it very much.”