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And then she crested the mountain she'd been climbing and her mouth opened on a long ululating sound. The moment that happened, Aulay released her breasts, clasped her hips and pounded up into her hard over and over, prolonging her release and then joining in it with a shout of triumph.
Jetta's heart was still thundering in her chest when she collapsed on top of Aulay, completely spent. She knew he said something to her then, she heard the rumble of sound in his chest under her ear, but she couldn't make sense of it. She was exhausted and drifting off to sleep.
"We should really join the others fer that toast," Aulay said reluctantly, once he had enough breath to speak. He wanted to get the suggestion out before Jetta asked to do it again. He wasn't sure he'd be able to walk again after another round. The lass had a powerful passion.
Realizing she hadn't responded, Aulay frowned.
"Lass?" he said, lifting his head to try to see Jetta's face when she still remained silent. His eyes widened incredulously when he saw that she was sound asleep on his chest. After a moment, the sight brought a soft smile to his face, but it was quickly followed by a frown as he recalled she was newly from her sickbed and still healing. Both from her head wounds, and now a turned ankle as well, he recalled, and silently cursed himself. They should have stopped after the first time, he thought, mentally kicking himself. Now he'd gone and worn her out.
Sighing, Aulay lay back and closed his eyes. He'd let her sleep for a bit, just a few minutes, and then he'd have to wake her, help her dress and urge her back to the keep. He'd probably carry her again, he thought, covering his mouth as a yawn claimed him. He'd noticed that her limp was more pronounced by the time the women had led her down to the church where he'd been waiting with the men, his people and Father Archibald. Aulay suspected the trek had been a bit much for her, and that for the time being she would do better to only walk short distances and rest her ankle as much as possible to allow it to heal.
The problem would be getting her to stay off her foot, he suspected. Or mayhap it wouldn't, Aulay thought, glancing down when she shifted sleepily on top of him and his cock responded with interest. Perhaps he just needed to distract her again like he had when he was trying to keep her from actively searching out memories. They were married now, and it was a chore he'd enjoy, Aulay thought as his eyes drifted closed.
It was pain that roused Jetta from sleep. Lifting her head drowsily, she covered her mouth to muffle a cough and then peered down at her throbbing ankle. The firelight allowed her to see what the problem was. She had slid off Aulay's chest to sleep curled up against his side and her injured ankle had somehow got trapped under Aulay's leg. The weight on it was causing her excruciating pain.
Jetta had just started to try to slide her leg free of his when her brain woke up enough to question the firelight business. They were in the stables, which had been dark except for one torch by the door when they'd entered. There should not be firelight.
Jerking her gaze toward the source of light, Jetta stared blankly for a moment and then sat up with horror and smacked Aulay, hard. "Husband? Husband, wake up! The stables are on fire!"
"What?" Aulay sat straight up as if she'd poked him in the behind with a sgian dubh. Gaping at the flames climbing up the closed entrance doors, he breathed, "What the hell?"
Jetta didn't bother to answer. He could see what the hell. Besides, she was busy pulling the top of her gown back into place and pushing down her skirts.
"The horses."
Glancing up at those husky words, Jetta watched wide-eyed as Aulay scrambled off the bales and hurried to the nearest stall. The man hadn't done a thing about his own clothes. He was still only in his shirt, and that was still pulled up over his head like some kind of halter. Shaking her head, Jetta coughed again and slid off the bale, wincing as she put weight on her injured ankle. Ignoring the pain, she bent to pick up Aulay's plaid, and chased after him. He'd opened the nearest stall door and had moved on to the second.
"Husband, put yer plaid on," she said, shoving it at him as he swung the second stall door open and moved on to the third.
Waving away the offering, Aulay pulled this stall door open as well, but then turned to stare around with a frown. The horses were whinnying in fear and banging about in their stalls, but not coming out of them. That didn't surprise her at all since it would merely take them closer to the fire.
Cursing, Aulay turned to head toward the back of the stables, barking, "Get the horses out of the back stalls, but stay away from the front ones and the fire."
Coughing again, Jetta glanced along the stalls and thought that they were all in terrible danger did they not soon get out of there, but the horses in the front were in the most immediate danger. The fire had not yet reached the stalls--they started ten feet in from the doors--but the flames were making their merry way toward them and frighteningly quickly.
Straightening her shoulders, Jetta did exactly what Aulay had ordered her not to do and ran to the first of the two stalls closest to the fire. The heat was unbearable at that end of the stables, and the smoke was building up, becoming a black wall, but Jetta held her breath and felt her way and quickly opened the first stall. Unlike the animals at the back, this horse was eager to escape. The beast nearly trampled her in its panic to get away from the flames. Jetta managed to avoid its hooves, but was bumped to the side and slammed into the next stall with enough force that she swore she saw stars. Fortunately, she didn't have to direct the horse at least. It rushed to the back of the barn as if the hounds of hell were on its heels.
Giving her head a shake to clear it, Jetta pushed herself away from the stall she was clinging to and shouted a warning to Aulay so that he didn't get trampled. She then moved to the stall across from the one she'd just opened, and then to the second in line on each side, and then the third. But she was more careful after that first horse, making sure to keep out of the way as she freed the animals.
Jetta was approaching the sixth stall on the right before she heard the pounding. Glancing toward Aulay, she saw that he'd retrieved his sword from the bales and was hacking at the back wall of the stables with it, trying to make an opening for them all to escape. The crackle and rush of the fire must have muffled the noise he was making when she'd been closer to it, Jetta decided, because he'd actually made a sizeable hole already. One big enough for her to squeeze through, she was sure.
She'd barely had the thought when Aulay lowered his sword and turned to shout for her. Suspecting she knew what he wanted, Jetta waved him off and opened the next stall door. She would not crawl out and leave him alone to deal with all of this and that's what she suspected he wanted, for her to escape the exhausting heat, breathtaking smoke, and searing flames and wait outside while he battled on alone. Well, he could just forget about that, Jetta thought with disgust. She was no delicate flower in need of--
Her thoughts died abruptly when she was suddenly caught from behind, turned and swept off her feet.
"Husband!" Jetta protested, kicking her legs. "Put me down."
"I want ye out o' here. I'll handle the rest alone," he growled, striding back toward the hole he'd made.
"I am not leaving you alone in here," she snapped, kicking her legs again.
"The hell ye aren't!" he roared.
"The hell I am!" she roared right back, and then they both turned their heads sharply at the sound of pounding and stared at the quickly enlarging hole Aulay had started. Several swords, axes and other weapons were tearing away the back of the stables like it was made of cloth.
"Thank God," Aulay muttered, starting forward again. "Help has arrived."
"Aye," Jetta breathed, relaxing in his arms now that they would both soon be out of there.
By the time they reached the back of the stables, the hole was large enough for the already freed horses to escape. Aulay stood back to avoid being trampled as they rushed out, and Jetta took a moment to hope that the men outside had got out of the way in time to avoid being trampled as well, and t
hen the last horse was out and the men began pouring in.
Leaving them to free the remaining horses, Aulay carried her quickly past them and out of the burning building. He didn't stop until they reached crisp, cool, smoke-free air.
"Aulay! Jetta! Dear God, what happened?"
In the midst of a coughing fit, it took Jetta a moment to glance around at that call. When she did, it was only to see that every member of her new family was now rushing across the bailey from the keep and barreling down on them. Truly, it was a beautiful sight, right up until the group drew up short several feet away, their mouths all dropping like fish out of water.
That was when she recalled Aulay's state of dress, or undress really. Other than his shirt, which was presently gathered at his shoulders and behind his head, she was his only covering. And he was holding her high enough that she suspected she wasn't covering much more than his chest. Even as Jetta thought that, Aulay lowered his arms so that her bottom covered his jewels. At least she hoped it did.
"I told you to put on your plaid," she said on a sigh.
Much to her surprise, rather than be annoyed at her I told you so, a bark of laughter slipped from Aulay. "Aye. That ye did, love. And next time I'll listen, I promise."
"Are ye both all right?" Rory asked, moving forward again and eyeing them with concern.
"I am, but Jetta swallowed a lot of smoke," Aulay said solemnly.
"I am fine," Jetta assured them in a hoarse voice. "Truly. We were very lucky."
"Aye, we were," Aulay said meeting her gaze. "Verra lucky."
"Well," Uncle Acair said, eyeing the pair of them. "Ye're covered in straw and soot and look like ye've been through a ragin' storm. I'd say ye've had one hell o' an exciting first night together."
