Midnight's Seduction (12 page)

If she couldn’t see the sun rise, she could at least go out and watch it climb into the sky. It was hours before they had to get ready to leave for the Ring of Brodgar, and she intended to make as much use of the free hours as she could.

Saffron snagged her thick coat from the peg near the door as she walked past. She had one arm in her jacket and the other about to go through as she started down the stairs into the great hall.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Sonya called out.

“Later,” Saffron said, an eager smile on her face.

She pulled on a lavender beanie and hurried outside. The cold slammed into her almost immediately, but she had been raised with snow. Colorado Springs might not be as damp as Scotland, but she knew snow.

A laugh escaped her as she hurried down the steps and jumped into the snow. Saffron then walked through the bailey, taking every bit of it in, from the stables to the blacksmith’s shop to the church that had been used several times to marry the Warriors and their Druids.

She had been in that church, small though it was, and she was eager to see it. But not now. Now, she wanted to feel the wind on her cheeks, to squint up at the sun, and to play in the snow.

Before she walked through the small door in the huge gatehouse, Saffron pulled out a pair of the sunglasses she had stuffed in the inside pocket of her coat and put them on.

Already her eyes were adjusting better to the light. Soon, she wouldn’t need the sunglasses all the time as she did now.

“Oh, my,” she murmured as she spotted the cliffs and the dark, wild sea below.

Saffron drank in everything she saw as she walked closer to the edge of the cliffs, from the gulls that hung suspended along the strong currents to the water that rolled ashore along the rocks.

She took in the cliffs and caught sight of several cave entrances that would be too remote for anyone but a Warrior to get to.

When she reached the edge, she looked down to find the beach below filled with rocks of all dimensions, from some the size of baseballs to massive boulders that jutted from the ground. Much like the ones dotted around the castle.

“Cara fell not too far from where you’re standing,” a male voice said from behind her.

Saffron smiled as she recognized Arran’s voice. “I’ve no intention of falling. I’m not sure you’d have as quick a reflex as Lucan did.”

“Oh, ho,” Arran said with a hearty laugh as he came to stand beside her. “Care to give it a test?”

“I’ll pass, thanks,” she replied with a bright smile.

“I’m glad to see you up and about after how we found you this morning.”

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I know there is cause to worry about a Druid falling into the chanting and drums, and I even thought about it. There is safety there with the ancients. It’s a place no one can hurt us. And it strengthens our magic in ways that I can’t even begin to explain. Yet, if a Druid knows what they’re doing, it’s safe.”

“Did you know what you were doing?”

“No,” she answered with a chuckle as she glanced sideways at him. “I do now. Still, it’s almost addictive, like a drug. It is such a beautiful, wonderful place to be, I understand why no one wants to leave, or has difficulty leaving.”

“I’m just glad Camdyn was able to pull you out.”

“Why did he do it?” she asked, and immediately regretted it. She didn’t want to know the reason, not if it would hurt her.

Arran stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and hitched up his shoulders. He was wearing only a navy blue T-shirt and gray hoodie sweatshirt jacket. “Maybe because he reached you first? I really doona know, Saffron. All I know is that I wouldna have thought about telling you your mother was there for money.”

She swiped at the bangs on her forehead and considered his words. “Unfortunately, Camdyn was privy to a rather nasty call between my mother and me yesterday.”

“Regardless, it worked, and we’re all glad of it.”

They watched waves roll in and violently crash upon the cliffs for several quiet moments. Saffron found her thoughts turning again and again to Camdyn and that amazing, breathtaking kiss.

“So, did they send you out to watch me?” she asked when she couldn’t stand thinking about Camdyn another moment or the way her body craved his touch and her mouth his lips.

Arran chuckled and turned toward her. “No’ at all. I was with Lucan in the blacksmith’s shop when I saw you leave the castle. I thought you might like some company.”

“That would be nice. There’s so much I want to see and do now that I have my eyesight back. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”

He smiled and swept his arm around him. “You have a vast playground, milady.”

Saffron threw back her head and laughed. “I do, don’t I?”

“Just watch for the rocks hidden in the snow. They can ruin a day. So what do you want to do?”

Saffron had been balling up a handful of snow, and as soon as Arran asked his question, she lobbed it at him. It hit him square in the chest.

He omphed, looking from the snow falling down his chest to her. “You little minx,” he said with a smile as he began gathering up his own snowball, which was three times the size of hers.

Saffron ran away from the cliffs, but she wasn’t able to dodge Arran’s snowball. It hit her in the shoulders, with snow then bouncing onto her face.

She slid to a halt and called, “My turn!”

Arran’s laughter faded as he started running toward her. Saffron hurried, her hands cold and clumsy even with her gloves on. But she managed to get the snow packed together and tossed it at Arran before she took off running again.

She heard him coughing and looked over her shoulder to see she had thrown the snowball in his face. Her laughter took hold of her until she was doubled over from the effort.

“Oh, God, my cheeks hurt,” she said between laughing as she tried to push her cheeks down.

Arran, meanwhile, was giving no quarter. He had a sizable snowball in each hand and threw them both at the same time.

All Saffron could do was fold her arms over her head seconds before they hit her. The force of them pushed her backward into the thick snow, which cushioned her fall.

She rolled to her side and began to gather up more snow as Arran’s footsteps drew near.

“Saffron? Did I hurt you?” he asked, concern thickening his voice.

She waited until he turned her over and then she shoved the snow in his face and down his shirt. He bellowed with laughter and wiped the snow from his eyes.

Saffron pushed to her feet, more snow in her hands. She waited for just the right moment to throw again.

*   *   *

Camdyn was on his way to the village to do some more work on his cottage when he spotted Saffron and Arran laughing as they threw snowballs at each other.

An odd ache began in Camdyn’s chest when Saffron’s sweet laughter reached him. He had never heard her laugh with so much joy and happiness before, and he craved to hear more of it.

When she fell from the impact of Arran’s throws, Camdyn had started toward her before he knew what he was doing. It was only when he was nearly upon them that he paused.

Arran caught sight of him, his smile wide and his eyes bright. “Did you come to join us?”

Camdyn held back the growl that had formed in his throat. It was obvious by Arran’s attention that he was attracted to Saffron. Camdyn wanted to pound his fists into his face, plunge his claws into Arran’s chest.

Anything to make Arran go away.

“I’d throw this at him if I thought it would make him smile,” Saffron said as she nodded toward Camdyn.

Camdyn hated that her words bothered him so much. He might be morose, but he knew how to have fun. Didn’t he?

It was Arran who ended up answering her. “A Warrior’s idea of having fun, Saffron, is killing wyrran. And dreaming of killing Deirdre.”

She nibbled at her lip and smiled. “I can see that. But this is a new time for both of you. There’s a lot to do for entertainment. You both should give it a try.”

Before Camdyn could think to form an answer, the snowball in her hand was suddenly flying toward him. He could have easily dodged it, but she had tried so hard to catch him unawares, that he allowed it to hit him in the side of the face.

The next thing Camdyn knew both she and Arran were tossing the snowballs at him.

Camdyn ducked, a smile forming on his mouth as he worked his way closer to Saffron even as she tried to back away. He managed to reach her and wrap a hand around hers that was about to throw the snowball at him. He turned her so that the snowball went toward Arran instead.

They were all laughing by that time. And then it became Camdyn and Saffron against Arran. Snow began to fly relentlessly as Camdyn drove Arran back with Saffron helping.

Then the heel of Saffron’s boot hit a rock and she lost her balance. Camdyn reacted instantly and wound his arms around her as he turned them so he took the brunt of the fall in case there were stones below the snow.

He bit back a curse as he landed on several large rocks with his back. The same place Saffron would have landed had he not been there.

Camdyn rolled her over and smoothed back the hair from her face with his hands. Her tawny eyes blinked up at him, surprise still on her face.

Whatever he’d been about to say vanished from his mind as his body realized he was cradled atop her softness, one leg nestled between hers. He clenched his jaw to keep from moaning. His hardening cock was pressed against her hip, and there was no way she didn’t feel him.

Camdyn’s gaze lowered to her lips. Instantly he remembered how incredible her lips had felt beneath him, how marvelous it felt to have her respond so quickly to his touch. And how astoundingly fast his own body had reacted.

His head lowered toward hers. Nothing, he told himself, could stop the unimaginable hunger he had to taste her lips again, to breathe in the moonlight and snow smell of her.

To hear her moan in pleasure. For him.

He wanted her with a passion that surprised and frightened him. He yearned to make love to her again and again, if only to get her out of his blood.

Surely that’s all it was. It had been a while since he’d had a woman. He just needed to find a willing wench. One who would make him forget the intoxicating feel of Saffron in his arms.

Arran’s footfalls as he rushed up broke through the desire that had surged in Camdyn.

“Is she all right?”

Camdyn looked into Saffron’s eyes and saw the passion there. His balls tightened, and he was thankful Arran was with him or he would have given in and kissed her. Again.

“She’s fine,” Camdyn said as he jumped to his feet.

He held out his hand to her, but she took Arran’s instead. For some reason that rankled Camdyn so that he again wanted to punch Arran.

“You’re reckless,” he told Saffron. It was a ridiculous thing to say, but he had to do something to release the need and frustration inside him.

She raised a light brown brow. “Excuse me? What did you just say?”

“I said you’re reckless,” Camdyn repeated. “Your life is so short, so easily stamped out. You could get a cold from being out here, or hit your head on one of the stones beneath the snow. Your life would be over in an instant. You’re reckless.”

“Reckless?” she repeated, her voice low and her eyes staring at him with deadly intent. “Well, forgive me, Mr. High-and-Mighty. Maybe I should apologize for not being immortal or having powers to heal myself like other Druids, but I won’t. I know better than anyone how short a life can be. Lest you forget, I was kept prisoner for three years. So, yes, I might be reckless, but it’s my life to live. Mine!”

Camdyn opened his mouth to try and calm her, once he realized he might have overstepped, but she talked over him.

“People catch colds all the time. People break bones all the time. People die all the time. It’s part of life. And if I want to be reckless with my life, I’ll be the one to pay the consequences.”

She started to walk off when Camdyn took hold of her arm and pulled her to a stop. Her body vibrated with anger, but he could see the hurt in her eyes. Hurt he had caused.

“I’m sorry. I’ve never been verra good with people.” Camdyn released her arm and started toward the castle.

What was it about Saffron that sent his world spinning? He wasn’t one who ever lost his cool, yet with Saffron, that’s all he seemed to do.

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

Somehow Deirdre wasn’t surprised to find Declan on her mountain. The stones let her know the moment he and his men set foot in her domain.

Deirdre commanded the stones to open the hidden door and waited. She smiled as Declan and his men reached the door and looked inside.

“Deirdre,” Declan said with a lazy smile and his blue eyes crinkling in the corners. “It’s good to see you. You’re as beautiful as ever.”

“As much as I love compliments, state your business, Declan.”

He chuckled and pulled at the cuff of his shirt beneath the suit jacket and the long overcoat he wore. “It’s cold out here. Why no’ allow me to come inside.”

It was just what she had wanted him to say. “All right.”

Declan walked through easily enough, but when the other four men tried to follow him, her magic prevented it.

“What is this?” Declan demanded as his blue eyes swung to her. Gone was the teasing seducer who had begged for entry.

She shrugged. “A show of magic, maybe. You asked for entry, which I granted. If you would like to battle, I’m game. Your men could be killed with merely a thought from me to my stones,” she said as she stroked the wall behind her.

Declan’s eyes narrowed as he seemed to weigh her words. Finally he let out a breath and smiled as he began to unbutton his overcoat. “You win. I didna come here to argue or fight. I came to offer you information and hopefully a solution that could benefit us both.”

As much as she hated to admit it, Deirdre was intrigued. She looked at the two wyrran who had been hiding in the shadows and had them guard the doorway as she commanded the stones to close the door.

“Follow me,” she told Declan and turned on the heel of her leather boot.