Silent Vows (MacCoinnich Time Travel Trilogy #2)(24)
Author: Catherine Bybee

Everything outside grew quiet. “How do you know he’s gone? Don’t tell me you can read minds?”

“I can see intent, feel emotions. He wanted to harm you. Oh, God.” The warm adrenalin rush now spent left a chill in its place. “He was in my mind,”

she declared, trembling. “I feel violated and dirty.”

“Do you think he’s like you? A Druid?”

“I don’t know. He held power. He watched us, Todd.” She searched his eyes making sure he heard her. “He wanted us to stop.”

Todd’s jaw clenched as he stood and pulled out of her arms. “I’m going to take a look, just to make sure he’s left.”

Trying her best to ward off the chill, Myra wrapped her arms around her body and waited for Todd to return.

“He’s gone, tripped over the trash barrels on the side yard, but other than that I didn’t see a thing.”

Todd pulled her off the floor and walked her to the couch. She watched as he went around locking doors and shutting curtains. Once he returned, she curled up into his lap and did her best to calm down, all the while trying to figure out who would be watching them and why.

“You’re cold.” He rubbed his hands over her arms. “How about a fire?” He pulled away and smiled at her.

“What?”

“You can light it faster then I can,” he said.

Surprised he was suggesting she use her gift, she asked, “Are you sure?”

The slight twitch in the corner of his eye was the only clue that he was a little nervous. She opened her hand to the hearth and watched as the flames leapt from the embers.

To Todd’s credit, he didn’t even flinch. “Is there any way you can teach me that trick?”

She smiled and rested in his arms. Perhaps there was hope for him. Maybe he’d learn to accept who and what she was. “Sorry. It’s in the blood I’m afraid.”

“Too bad. That could come in handy.”

“It does.”

His hand stroked her hair, calming her down.

“Who do you think was out there?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Could someone have followed you from the past?”

“I don’t think it’s possible, but I don’t know for sure. All I do know is he felt evil and wanted us to stop.”

“Then that wipes out a voyeur.”

“What is that?”

“Someone who wants to watch lovers…” He stopped from finishing his sentence.

“Grainna would want us to stop. But it was a man out there. Of that I’m certain.

“Maybe he works with this woman. Or does her bidding.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Myra knew Grainna had men serving her every need when she lived in this time.

“Last night you mentioned a curse,” Todd said.

“Aye, a curse that bound her powers and left her in an old body for decades.” Myra repeated the curse aloud for Todd’s benefit. “A virgin’s blood of Druid descent, only of age to give consent. Virgin blood will set you free, this is your curse from us to thee.” She shifted, moved closer. “The Ancients sent her to this time knowing few virgins existed. Let alone Druid virgins.”

“But you’re a Druid virgin. Her ticket to power.”

“’Tis why I was sent away when she went back to my time.”

Todd shook his head. “Sending you years into the future seems like a lot of trouble to go through, for something so easily fixed.”

“What do you mean?”

He stroked her arm. “You’re a very beautiful woman, Myra. I’m sure the men in your time would be lined up to rid you of your virginity.”

Heat filled her cheeks. She lowered her head.

“Maybe for a woman in this century. In mine, ‘tis expected I go to my marriage bed a virgin.”

“Your virginity isn’t worth your life. If this woman is as evil as you say, then she will stop at nothing to get what she wants. The criminal mind hasn’t changed over the centuries, even if the thoughts about sex have.”

Was that all it was? Just sex? Did the feelings and desires he pulled out of her mean nothing more than a physical act?

Her head started to ache. It was so simple an hour before, in his arms. Wanting desperately for him to make love to her. Wanting him to love her.

And to what end? She would be leaving him eventually, and although she was prepared to lose her innocence, she desperately wanted it to be more than a physical release.

“I am constantly at a loss as to what I should do.” He smoothed her hair back, pushing her head onto his shoulder. “It’s painfully obvious to me what you should do, but since I’m the only man in the room, I’m biased.” His chest rumbled with a little laugh.

“Being with you, having sex…would take away the threat.” She cleared her throat, uncomfortable,

“’Tis an option.” But was she willing to exercise it?

“I would happily oblige, but I don’t want you regretting it in the morning. Because I wouldn’t.”

“You confuse me,” she confessed.

“I can beat that. You scare the hell out of me.”

His blatant honesty made her laugh. “How?”

“Oh, come on. One wrong move from me and wham, ball of fire.”

She leaned back, playfully swatting at his arm.

“It’s a good thing my family is not here.”

“I can only imagine.”

“Nay, I don’t think you can. There was a boy once, when I was all of fourteen. He was much older than I.”

“How much older?” His face grew serious.

“Well at fourteen, he was practically a man at sixteen. He had already started his training with my father and brothers, so he could be knighted and ride in battle when he came of age. Anyway, Daniel took a liking to me, but because of who I was, he kept his distance.”

“What do you mean, who you were? Did he know you were a Druid?” Todd played with her hair.

“No. No one knows that. I mean because I was Lady Myra MacCoinnich. His family wasn’t from a great home or land, and his pursuit of me wouldn’t have been accepted.”

“So what happened?”

“One day, on his return from exercising his horse, he found me in the stables. I was tending one of our pregnant mares and waiting for him in all honesty. I had never been kissed and knew he wanted to do so. We talked for a short time then finally he kissed me.”