Highland Shadows (Beautiful Darkness Series Book 1) (9 page)

“Cora,” he shouted. “Cora!”

She did not respond. He pressed his ear against the door and heard a strange snapping sound that reminded him of bones cracking. Then she whimpered.

“God above, Cora, let me in!”

“Go away,” she shouted.

A cry of such agony came from behind the door. She was not lamenting her life. She was fighting for it. The sound gripped his heart with fear, forcing his hand. His fist beat against the wood. Again she screamed. “Cora,” he shouted. He drew back, then charged forward, ramming his shoulder into the door. Over and over again, he hammered his body into the wood.

“Damnation,” he shouted as he raced back the way he’d come, calling for Jamie in the great hall.

“What is it?” Jamie said, breathing hard.

Alex bolted back around and thundered toward the door, throwing himself against it.

Jamie’s eyes grew wide. “What are ye doing? Have ye gone mad? I only jested earlier. If ye break her door down, she’ll never learn to trust ye.”

“Shut up,” Alex shouted, grabbing Jamie by the shoulders. “Someone is in there. Someone is killing her!”

A low growl resonated from behind Cora’s door. Both men froze and turned to face the door.

“What was—” Jamie started to say, but Alex shoved him back. “Get ready to charge.

“Together,” Alex said.

Jamie nodded.

“Now,” he cried.

They barreled down the hall and rammed the door, splintering the wood. Alex fell through, landing hard on his side. He turned his body, rising up on his hands and lifted his face to look into the room. He froze. A sleek white wolf with hackles raised high stood inches from his face. Its lips were pulled back in a snarl, revealing two gleaming rows of sharp fangs

“Do not move,” Jamie whispered behind him.

From the corner of his eye, Alex glimpsed Jamie grab a large, sharp splinter of wood from the floor. The wolf’s eyes shifted to Jamie. It snarled and lunged forward, snapping the wood in half with its powerful jaws.

“Christ Almighty,” Jamie swore, scurrying out of Alex’s view. “Is this another animal of yours ye rescued from the woods?”

“Of course not,” Alex snapped.

The wolf jerked its head, baring its teeth at Alex. Holding as still as possible, his eyes scanned the room. Cora was nowhere. Her kirtle, however, lay in a tattered heap on the floor. He turned his head very slightly to see the one corner outside his peripheral view, but the wolf lunged forward and snapped its jaws dangerously close to his face. Terror shot up his spine. He could feel the beast’s hot breath. Keeping his head low, his peered up and for the first time looked the wolf in the eye. Sky blue eyes glowed bright, standing out in shocking contrast to the white fur. The wolf growled, bearing down upon him. Alex dropped his gaze.

“Whatever ye just did,” Jamie whispered behind him. “Don’t do it again.”

Alex closed his eyes, his mind spinning. He remembered Cora’s cries and the sound of her bones snapping. Bile rose in his throat. The beast must have ripped her body to shreds. The horror was too great to handle. He hadn’t been fast enough. He had failed her. His eyes opened and looked at the fierce claws inches from his face. His stomach twisted when he imagined those claws tearing into Cora’s flesh. Again the wolf growled, bringing his mind back to the present. He and Jamie were at the mercy of the murderous beast. If they did not do something soon, their blood would also be spilled.

Blood.

His eyes returned to the large, gleaming white paws. There was not a trace of blood. Keeping his head low, his eyes once more scanned the room all the while the beast’s low growl filled his ears. There were no signs of struggle and no blood anywhere. His eyes once more settled on Cora’s shredded gown. His body strained while he fought to remain still. Then his mind returned to their wedding night in the shelter. He remembered the jarring pain of her nails raking his back. His eyes returned once more to the large, sharp claws in front of him.

It was all he could do not to move.

“Jamie,” he whispered. “Slowly, and I do mean very slowly, back away.”

“Fangs are inches from your face. I dare not move.”

“Do as I say,” Alex gritted.

“I will not. I’ve no wish to see ye eaten before my very eyes.”

“As your laird I command ye to slowly back away and leave us.”

“Upon my word, I will not.”

“I’ll be alright,” Alex said. “I think,” he muttered under his breath.

“How can ye possibly think anything could be alright when the biggest wolf I’ve ever seen is literally breathing down your neck?” Jamie snapped.

The wolf lunged passed Alex, bearing its teeth once again at Jamie.

“Because ‘tis not a wolf. ‘Tis my wife.”

“Have ye gone mad?” Jamie cried.

“Trust me,” Alex said. “Now, back away.”

“I’ve sworn my allegiance to ye. I’ll not let ye kill yourself.”

“Your allegiance demands ye follow my orders. Leave.”

“Never,” Jamie promised.

Alex heard the intent to attack in Jamie’s voice. He pushed off the ground just in time to block the large splinter in Jamie’s hand from stabbing his wife and his wife’s slashing paw from maiming his friend. Instead, Jamie’s makeshift weapon plunged into his shoulder while Cora’s claws raked his chest. He cried out, landing in a heap, but he leapt once more to his feet, standing between the two. Reaching over his head, he pulled the shard of wood from his shoulder, and threw it back at Jamie.

“Enough,” he shouted. “Open your eyes. If this is not Cora, then where is she?”

Jamie’s eyes scanned the room, then settled on Cora’s dress on the floor.

“Leave us now,” Alex said.

“How can that possibly be—” Jamie began to say, but Alex cut him off.

“Go,” he shouted. “And speak to no one of what ye’ve seen.”

Jamie said nothing but planted his feet firmly in place.

“Fine,” Alex snapped, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “But squat down and lower your eyes.”

Alex turned back around and slowly dropped to his knees once more. His eyes narrowed on the ever present display of sharp fangs. With small movements, he inched forward, careful to keep his eyes low. His heart still raced, but he focused on quieting his breathing. Her growl deepened, which he took as a signal that he was close enough.

For a long while, he stayed in that spot, ignoring the pain of his injuries. Then he drew a deep breath and slowly reached out his hand, filling his mind with memories of Cora when they first met. She had stood up beside the empty hearth in her room, her blond hair sweeping the floor. He remembered her candid laughter and vulnerable shyness, which had touched him so deeply, and sparked the beginnings of an affection that brewed within his heart for his lovely but sorrowful wife.

From a dark corner in his mind, trouble emerged. He’d been tricked into marrying a demon sent to destroy them all.

The ferocity and suddenness of her growl shattered his imaginings, and he tasted the bitterness of his thoughts. He knew she had sensed his unbidden hostility. Exhaling, he expelled the poisonous accusation from his mind. Somewhere hidden deep within the deadly animal poised for attack was Cora. Despite it all, she was still his wife. He inhaled the heat of her breath, and listened to the sound of her uneasy growls. Then, suddenly, there was silence.

After a time, he raised his eyes. She sat before him, her snowy white head cocked to one side. They were eye level, though he intentionally did not make eye contact. He heard his mother’s voice echoing in his mind. Love. Respect. Faith. She would have opened her heart to Cora. This he did not doubt.

Inviting peace into his soul, he slowly eased his hand out. When she did not lash out, he stoked the tips of his fingers down the space between her eyes. Then he retracted his hand and held still. Long moments passed when suddenly she released a short bark and stepped forward, then skittered back. Again she approached him, but chose once more to back away. This dance continued until at last she nudged his chin with her nose.

A smile stretched his lips wide as he reached out and stroked the thick fur behind her ears. She sniffed his chest, and to his surprise she began licking his wounds. His eyes widened as he watched the bleeding quell and the welts begin to close. Then she walked around him and did the same to the puncture wound on his shoulder. It did not take long for the pain to ease, and then she circled back around and sat before him.

They locked eyes and at last he found her. Through a cloud of sadness and fear she was there, staring out at him, her pain palpable and urgent. Raising her snowy head, she released a howl, which cut him soul deep.

“Come back to me, Cora,” he whispered, inching closer. She lowered her eyes then and nosed his arms open, nuzzling into his chest. Bringing his arm gently under her belly, he strained beneath her larger size and carried her to bed.

“Ye may go now,” he said quietly to Jamie who stood transfixed in the broken doorway. “And keep everyone away until ye hear from me.”

At first, Jamie did not move, and so once again Alex bid him leave.

With a jerk, his friend’s senses appeared to return. “I...I cannot even begin to....”

“Jamie,” Alex urged.

“Aye. Right. Forgive me. I’ll leave ye to your...wife.” He stumbled out the door, making a quick retreat down the hall.

Alex sat on the bed beside the large animal and began stroking her thick, white fur. Her eyes were heavy. “Hush now,” he whispered. After a time, her side rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm. He stood and stared in shock at his sleeping wife. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath. He could not for the life of him know what to do next, and so he did what seemed most natural. He climbed into bed and curled up against her soft warmth.

CHAPTER 10

Cora’s eyes eased open. The candle on her bedside table had burned down to a stub, the flame floating on the surface of pooling wax. Then in a puff of smoke the flame disappeared. On most days that was exactly what she wished for—to disappear. But as she listened to Alex’s heart beating beside her, and breathed deep his masculine scent, she was suddenly very happy to be alive. She shimmed back so their bodies touched. Expecting to feel his hard warmth, her breath caught when she discovered his icy limbs. She leaped out of bed. Her naked body came alive, awakened by the crisp morning, but Alex needed heat. She knelt beside the hearth, and for the first time in years, she arranged cuts of peat on cold, swept stones. It took her unpracticed hands several attempts to strike the flint just right, but soon she coaxed a small spark into a warm blaze.

She returned to bed and drew a wool blanket up to his chin. Then she did what she knew would warm him fastest. She crawled beneath the blanket and pressed the length of her smoldering body against his. Easing her arm around him, she stoked his thick muscles. His skin was hard and smooth. Her hand swept across his taut, ridged stomach, causing his heartbeat to quicken. She jerked away, knowing her bold touch had awoken him.

“Nay,” he whispered, turning over to face her. “Come back. Ye’re soft and warm and...a woman.”

Pain he had not wished to cause shadowed her features as she turned and hid her face in her hands.

“Forgive me. I hoped a jest might put ye at ease. I can see I was wrong.” He tugged at her hands. “Please do not hide from me.”

She dropped her hands in her lap, and slowly lifted her eyes. “How are ye doing that?”

His brows came together. “What exactly am I doing?”

“Ye’re being kind to me. Ye’re acting like somehow everything is going to be alright.”

He sat up then and cupped her cheeks in his hands. “Ye’re my wife. I’ll not pretend to understand what happened last night, nor will I claim to be unconcerned. But I will stand by ye just as I vowed.”

She turned away, feeling unworthy of his kindness. “Ye know I can tell when someone is lying. I can smell it. I can hear their heart beat faster. Every time my father told me everything would be alright, I knew he never truly believed it would, not once. But ye...” she swallowed hard. “Ye’re not lying. Ye really don’t mean to reject me.”

He leaned over and pressed a long kiss to her lips, which caused greater warmth to spread throughout her whole body. “Look at me,” he said. She turned and lost herself in the promise she saw in his mismatched eyes. He took her hand and pressed her palm against his scarred cheek. “Ye could have rejected me,” he said pointedly.

A mirthless laugh tore from her lips. “Ye cannot compare a little scarring to what resides within me.”

“Goodness is what resides within ye, goodness and light.”

Fresh tears filled her eyes. She smiled and pressed a kiss to his mangled cheek. “I love that ye truly believe that, but ye’re wrong,” she said softly. Then she drew away and stood.

“Come here,” she said, pulling a tapestry away from the small window.

The sound of his footfalls crossing the room filled her ears as he came up behind her. She leaned against his chest.

“Look out over the moors and tell me what ye see,” she said.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I see hills, a dusting of snow, fat sheep grazing thanks to my fine wife.” She followed his gaze down to the courtyard where children played and people milled about. “I see my clan doing what they’ve not done in many years, going about their morning with full bellies. Do ye not see that your coming has been an unspeakable blessing to my clan?” His hand grazed her cheek, but she stepped free from his arms.