Dark Rival (38 page)

She sensed him losing control. She prayed it was her imagination. She walked several steps behind him now, ready to defend herself at the slightest provocation.

He stopped.

Allie almost crashed into his back. She halted and leapt away from him. Past him, below in a small valley, she saw the light from the fires of a small village. But she did not sense Moffat's huge black power there.

Speke turned, his eyes gleaming red in the starlight. "You're afraid."

"Not at all," she lied thickly. She held up the knife, pointing it at him.

He licked his fat lower lip. "You're the purest of them all—purer than a virgin.”

"Keep walking," Allie said tightly, her heart slamming.

"But you're not a virgin. You like to fuck. I saw you this afternoon, in broad daylight." His smile curved.

"Your master has forbidden rape.”

Speke smiled widely and reached into a jacket pocket. His energy had become explosive, as if he was ready to find a sexual release from whatever thought he was having.

Allie tensed, certain he was about to assault her.

And he threw a rope around her neck, laughing.

Allie went to cut it.

He kicked her wrist so hard that pain blinded her and she dropped the knife,

"I did not touch you," he crowed, and the noose tightened around her throat. He jerked on it cruelly, so she was hauled abruptly forward. She seized the noose, starting to choke, and he jerked again. Allie fell face, first into the dirt and grass as he pulled, strangling her.

Panic overcame her and she could not think. The noose was so tight, she couldn't pull it away from her neck. Frantically she clawed at it as she rolled onto her back, incapable of drawing any air into her lungs. She was going to be strangled to death.

Suddenly he released the pressure.

Allie gripped the noose, loosening it, breathing hard and deep, blood seeping down her neck, sobbing in relief.

"Oh, yes," he said. And he jerked on the line, hard. Immediately the noose tightened, cutting into her flesh, threatening to break her fingers, so she couldn't breathe yet again. She felt blood against her knuckles and she was blinded by panic.

She couldn’t breathe.

He jerked tighter.

He was going to break her neck.

She clawed at the rope, at her skin, the night growing even darker, her lungs burning.

He laughed in sheer excitement, releasing all the pressure,

Allie gasped for air, sucking it in, the night blackening around her. She gulped raggedly, her throat on fire, knowing she must not faint, not now. Somehow she tore the rope to her collarbone, gasping. "Stop!" Her tone was raw.

"But I can't touch, or cut, or taste!" He jerked so hard and abruptly on the rope, she went face-first into the ground and pain exploded in her neck," something snapped.

A roar filled the night.

And Allie felt Royce’s fury. Before she could even assimilate that he had come to defend her and that she'd been too hurt to even sense him approaching, Speke was blasted off of his feet and across the wood.

Choking, Allie seized the rope, loosening it. On her back, frantically sucking in air, she saw Royce standing not far from her, enraged, his murderous fury directed at Speke, his aura like the fires of hell, shocking her. Aidan and Blackwood were with him, but Allie barely saw them.

Royce glanced coldly at her.

As if on cue, Aidan ran to her, kneeling. Instantly Allie felt sick, but not from being strangled and choked. Her gaze locked with Royce's; she knew he was very, very angry with her. But she had to stop him from killing Speke, who might have information about Elasaid.

Aidan removed the rope, flinging it aside. “Yer bleedin’. Ye clawed yerself. Be still."

Allie tried to speak, to tell him to keep Speke alive, but it hurt to do so.

"Hush," Aidan said, encircling her throat with his hands. She stalled, stunned to feel his healing power entering her body, warming her throbbing neck, realigning her spine, and finally easing the terrible pounding in her skull. It felt so good.

But she couldn't stay still and her gaze lifted to Royce, who watched her now. Her heart thundered in response to the cold look in his eyes. She wanted to beg him to understand, but he tinned away dismissively, lifting his hand, before she could try to use her voice.

Speke was flung across the wood again, into a tree, so hard she heard his bones crack.

She shoved Aidan aside, somehow standing. She tried to speak, but her throat hurt, "Royce, stop! He may know where Elasaid is!" she rasped.

Royce didn't look at her. His expression ruthless, he blasted Speke again, his energy lifting him high and sending him into another tree.

"Royce," Allie cried hoarsely. "Stop, please!"

Aidan said, beside her. "He canna hear ye." He touched her to restrain her.

She somehow glanced at Aidan and saw kindness and pity in his eyes, which she did not understand. "Stop him,” she begged.

But Royce now lifted Speke and sent him whirling back, toward them He crashed not far from where Allie stood with Aidan, his body broken and mangled. He would not live much longer.

But he was still very much alive. His red eyes were filled with fear. “I didn't…touch her...."

Allie shoved free of Aidan, running toward him. " Where is my mother! Where is Moffat keeping her? Where is Elasaid?" she cried.

Speke didn't look at her. He only had terrified eyes for Royce, who strode toward him. "Ye die," he said ruthlessly.

"No," Allie gasped. "Royce, I am begging you!"

But Royce ignored her, staring at Speke. And Allie saw the man's power, blacker than the night, spiral upward from the creature's body like a small cyclone. Aidan gripped her arm and Allie cried out in despair. The evil swirled upward into the skies and Speke lay sightless and dead.

"Royce," she whispered, choking on a sob.

Royce stood still, breathing hard. If he heard her, he gave no sign.

Aidan said quietly, “I lurked. He dinna ken where Elasaid is.”

Allie heard him, but could not take her gaze from Royce. For she felt his fury escalate and his aura turned to flames. Like a forest fire out of control, it raged.

And then his aura contracted as he willed himself into a state of control.

He suddenly looked at her, his eyes silver and hot with restrained wrath.

She went still.

Aidan stepped in front of her. "Yer angry, Royce. But think. She's yer Innocent," he said tersely.

Royce didn't look away from her. "Dinna interfere, Aidan."

As afraid as she was, as tense and stiff, she managed to speak. “It’s all right” Their gazes remained locked, his frighteningly hard. "We have to discuss this."

Royce gave her the coldest, most condescending look shed ever received. “Talk?" He was scathing. "I dinna wish to speak with ye ever again. ”Allie cringed. "Royce”

"Ye broke yer word."

She tensed, her pulse hammering. Carefully, aware of
 
monumental this moment was for them, she breathed and said, “I promised to obey you—but you didn't make me promise not to trade myself for Elasaid.”

His eyes widened. "Ye ken I would refuse a trade! I said many times I wouldna trade ye for yer mother. But ye stand before me an’ claim ye dinna disobey?" His eyes blazed.

She inhaled. "Don't do this."

"Were finished." He turned and gestured furiously at Aidan. “Get her out o’ my sight"

Aidan dragged her away.

WHEN ROYCE FINALLY returned to Blackwood Hall it was close to dawn. Allie had sat in the hall waiting for him, chilled by her fear. The moment he came in, she leapt to her feet. He didn't look at her, striding from the hall and upstairs.

She hugged herself. She hadn't meant to betray him— she had done what she thought right. Yet she had known he would think her agreeing to a trade, behind his back, a betrayal. But she hadn't imagined this kind of reaction—as if, in one instant, he could cut her out of his heart and his life without ever looking back.

And then she heard thunder booming.

It was directly above her and she jumped up, crying out, the thunder reverberating again from directly above her. Just as she wondered if they were in the midst of an earthquake and the castle walls were coming down, she felt his rage explode, turning into pain.

Allie ran up the stairs, healing that terrible sound again. As she came to the small passage leading up to the tower, she realized that there wasn't a storm and there wasn't an earthquake. Stone was crashing down.

Aidan seized her from behind. "Ye’ll nay go up unless ye wish to die!"

Allie turned and fought him. “He's hurt! He needs me!”

"He’s in rage because o’ what ye did."

Stone sheared off and crashed down. And she saw him vividly, as if she could see through the walls, breaking apart the window embrasures with his bare, bloody hands, heaving slabs of stone onto the floor. She leapt, facing Aidan, terrified for him. "Let me go to him! He'd never hurt me!"

Aidan’s grasp tightened, becoming cruel. "He hates ye now!”

Allie went still, staring at Aidan's cold, hard face. She realized he was angry with her, too. She watched Royce destroying the stone tower with energy blasts and his bare hands. "I did what I had to do—what I thought was right. Aidan, you of all men should understand!"

"I understand ye broke yer word."

She inhaled, trying to pull away from him. In the end, he was as medieval as Royce—as ruthless, as uncompromising. He let her go, Allie hesitated, because Royce remained in a furious fit, destroying the tower. "Don't leave him." Allie whispered, afraid he might hurt himself. She trembled, tears finally falling. "He will never forgive me, will he?"

"Ye crossed him," Aidan said. "He'll never forgive ye."

ALLIE WENT DOWN to the hall for breakfast, exhausted from a sleepless night. She hadn't lain down even for a few hours—she had been on her knees, praying for Royce, asking the gods to heal him now. All the while she had been acutely aware of his pain and rage. She had tried to communicate with him telepathically, but he hadn't tried to speak to her in return, not even once. His power had finally quieted, to seethe softly in the tower above the hall.

She stumbled into the hall. Soon, he would come out of the prison he had chosen for himself, and they would be face-to-face. And then what? He was dead set against her.

She would never forget the way he’d looked at and spoken to her last night. Surely, sooner or later, he would begin to understand why she'd done what she had. Surely his love for her would allow him to reason—even though he was the least reasonable man she knew.

It couldn't be over. He was the love of her life.

We’re finished.

Allie trembled with dread as Aidan stepped inside. He didn't smile at her, and he looked tired. But then, he’d undoubtedly sat up for the rest of the night with Royce to make sure he didn't hurt himself. Eyeing her expression, he said, unsmiling, "I willna ask how ye slept"

She bowed her head, sitting stiffly on one of the benches at the table, her knees bruised from the hours spent kneeling on stone. Aidan was against her now, too, when he had fast become a treasured friend. "How could I sleep when Royce was so upset? I know you macho guys think if a woman does her own thing, if she acts independently, it means we don't love you. But you are so wrong."

Aidan gave her a long look. "I ken ye love him an’ ye always will." He sat and poured mead into a cup and drained it before glancing at her. “Blackwood has gone to the town of Moffat. A spy has sent him word he wishes to meet. Mayhap there's news o’ Elasaid."

Allie started. "Any news would be great."

A housemaid stepped into the hall. “My lord, my lady?"

Aidan glanced up, noted that she was young and blond, and sent her an automatic smile, "Aye?"

"Kenneth from the village has come to the kitchens. His wife is very ill an’ he has heard Lady Allie is a Healer. I told him I heard no such thing, but he insisted I come to you an’ ask if she can attend his wife." The blonde shifted nervously.

Allie stood, not having to think about it. “Of course I’ll help.”

Aidan stared thoughtfully. "An' how would the villager ken that Blackwood's guest heals?"

"I don’t know, my lord."

"It doesn't matter," Allie said. "If someone is ill, I have to heal them. I took my own vows, Aidan."

Aidan stood, but glanced upward in the direction of the tower room where Royce had spent the night. "He broke down an entire wall. Blackwood is furious.”

Allie hated the idea of leaving Royce alone, even though he was far calmer. "You should stay with him. I can take an escort of knights to the village. I won't be long." She didn't think she needed much of an escort, as the village was about five minutes on foot from the moat. On the other hand, it couldn't hurt to play it safe.

Aidan appeared relieved, "I dinna think it wise to leave him. He's quiet now, but I have never seen him so enraged. I wish to stay with him."

Allie took a long glance at his handsome profile. He was a medieval playboy, with all the charm a man could possibly have, but he was as loyal as a man could be toward Royce. Last night had shown her that. "Thank you."

He finally smiled as he walked with her to the front door. “I’m yer Knight of Swords, lass. I haven't forgotten."

He had forgiven her! Allie was relieved. She did not want to lose his friendship, not now, not ever. Impulsively she faced him so they halted. “I wish I could undo what happened last night. I wish I had understood better that the standards I live by are not valid here, in this world, for men like you and Royce, I wish I hadn’t gone behind Royce's back!"

Aidan's gaze was searching. "We live by our word. Lady Allie.”

There was no possible response to make to that.

He guided her outside. Allie found herself in the midst of six English knights. They were clad from head to toe in armor, and even with their visors up, they looked like mean fighting machines. She hadn't expected a fully armored escort.

She had just mounted a small gray palfrey when she felt Royce's power. She tensed and glanced up at the tower.