Sea Wolf Magick (Highlander Magick Series Book 2) Page 2

  “I’m fine, lass. Go on with ye, I’m just bein’ foolish in me old age.” He squeezed her hand and turned back to the fireplace.

  She straightened, picked up her basket, and took one last glance at her friend fidgeting with a brittle stick and poking at the fire. Biting her lower lip, she tried to erase the twinge of guilt about not telling him the truth before she twisted the door handle shut behind her.

  A thin mist hovered over the path leading beside the emerald forest. Hard to believe any storm could disrupt the quiet still of the cool evening, Beth stopped to gaze at the breathtaking, clear evening sky filled with brushstrokes of salmon-pink mixed with hues of yellow. Sheep bleated and scurried down the steep embankments toward the sea. Thunder rumbled, and a clash of lightning lit up the sky. The hideous laughter she thought she imagined at the cottage returned.

  The troubled look on Darby’s face haunted her. Taking a deep breath of air to settle her nerves, she convinced herself everything would settle back to normal come morning.

  A thunderous roar erupted behind her. Like an earthquake, the ground shook beneath her feet. She jumped.

  The cottage. By the Goddess, Darby!

  Beth dropped her basket and raced toward home, her shawl falling from her shoulders. Curls of smoke rolled from the chimney. Her heart beat frantically against her chest. A hard lump swelled in her throat. Out of breath from running, she stopped in front of the door, grabbed the handle, and pushed. It wouldn’t budge. Somehow it must have bolted shut behind her without Darby realizing it.

  She darted to the window and stood on tiptoe to peer inside. The glass panes now covered with a smoky film, she wiped them with the back of her sleeve. Her fingers still swollen in pain from the stinging nettles, she gripped the edge of the ivy-covered sill and screamed, “Darby, are you all right? I can’t get inside—the door’s locked!”

  Her friend thrust his hands inside his pockets and threw a handful of green powder into the air. The fireplace burst into vibrant flames of orange and red. He muttered unfamiliar words while he cut a locket of hair from his head and threw it in the fire.

  Beth beat on the window and yelled, trying to get his attention.

  The eccentric character finally turned around. His face and clothes were stained with ashes and smoke. Darby nodded as his gentle gaze caught hers. He winked and snapped his fingers. Both he and the cottage mysteriously vanished, leaving her, the stone fireplace, and the chimney behind.

  Thunder rumbled through the valley like a pair of angry rutting rams butting their horns together. Heavy rain pelted against Quinn McCord’s bare chest like pebbles hitting ice. With his arm shielding his forehead and eyes, he spotted a garment not far from his feet. The sweet scent of lilacs in full bloom filled his head as he lifted the shawl from the ground and gripped the soft material between his fingers.

  A woman’s heartbeat drummed in his ears, her scent intoxicating his mind. His muscles tensed and his nostrils flared in response. The blood raced through his veins like an out-of-control forest fire. Quinn struggled to keep his wolf spirit from surfacing and his animal hormones from raging.

  Dark clouds rolled overhead. Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating showers of bright rays outlining the slender shape of a voluptuous woman kneeling on the wet ground in front of a lone fireplace out in the open. Her soaked clothes clinging to her body, she sat staring at her hands, which were covered in mud. Another crack of lightning clapped through the nearby rows of trees, and a gust of wind scattered leaves everywhere.

  Och. This woman ’tis no concern of mine. ’Tis a clan brother in need of me help. The full moon began to rise behind the shadows of dark clouds. His hands clutched into fists by his sides. The woman still did not move. She must be either hurt or daft to stay a sittin’ target in this storm and not head for shelter.

  With time running short before his body changed into his black wolf form, his gut instinct was to turn and run in the opposite direction and forget about the lass. Before he could head back to his ship, the Sea Wolf, there were far more important matters he needed to deal with than worrying about a woman that didna’ have the common sense to get out of the rain. His conscious getting the best of him, he clenched his fists. A growl rumbled from his throat. Mo creach. I canna just leave the woman stranded in case she needs helps.

  Quinn cursed beneath his breath. Taking long strides, he headed toward the shivering, drenched damsel in distress.

  “Are ye all right, lass?” He leaned over, his hand stopping in midair before it reached her shoulder. Like entering a cold, dark room with flickering candles, a soothing warmth of soft, glowing white lights radiated from her body.

  His inner beast made an immediate connection with the stranger and was struggling for release. Natural instinct kicked in full force, making its intention perfectly clear. It was determined to make this particular woman its lifelong mate. Quinn fought the urgency of his inner wolf trying to take control of his body. They were here to offer refuge to another wolf shapeshifter, not to find a mate.

  Like claws ripping at his chest, he gritted his teeth, his nails scratching his palms as his hands clenched in fists. Taking deep breaths, his muscles tightened, and his spine rippled. He scowled at the moon, realizing he didn’t have much time to help this beguiling woman.

  Struggling to keep his wits, Quinn concentrated on giving the stranger her shawl. He strolled toward her and held the lacey garment in front her face. “I believe this belongs to you. Are ye hurt, lass? Can ye walk?”

  The wind picked up, whipping strands of lavish, dark hair that covered her face. She wiped the wet locks from her eyes as she leaned back and glanced up at him. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she regarded him curiously for a moment. A shadow of surprise flashed across her face.

  He sensed her uneasiness, but time was running short. “Ye need to hurry and get home, lass.”

  The attractive young woman shoved her hand inside her apron. She clutched a scroll inside her trembling fingers and held it against her chest. Her voice was barely a whisper when she finally spoke, “It’s you.”

  “I dinna know who you think I am, lass, but I’m afraid ’tis not the time for proper introductions. Ye need to get as far away from here as possible.” His blood raging through his veins, he glanced over his shoulder at the line of trees. He had little time to make a dart for the woods before he shifted and his wolf took control.

  His nostrils flared, picking up the scent of another lone wolf. He turned and helped the woman to her feet. Her piercing blue gaze locked with his. Biting her lower lip, a look of awe on her face, the stranger’s hand cupped the side of his face and her delicate fingers brushed against his skin. Like hot embers igniting a sizzling fire, glistening sparks flickered in front of their faces. An inner connection blazed between the couple, linking them together.

  Her lips parted as she glanced at the crinkled parchment clutched in her hand and studied his face. She winced in discomfort, her skin turning pale. Her bewildered expression suddenly turned into fear and suspicion. A heavy silence loomed between them.

  Damnation. He had run out of time. Thick black hairs sprouted on his hands. His fingernails grew long and razor sharp. “Hurry, lass. Run as fast as ye can to the nearest village and dinna look back.”

  He turned and sprinted to the nearest line of trees, hoping the attractive stranger had heeded his warning. His heart lurched, upset at the possibility of not seeing her again.

  His wolf growled. Furious with himself for feeling an overwhelming connection with the young woman in his human form, too, a flood of mixed emotions surged through him. What the hell was he thinking?

  He should have stuck with his first instinct and tracked down the stray wolf shapeshifter instead of worrying with this lass. Now that his wolf’s raging hormones had fully kicked in, the beast was determined to discover his new mate. Quinn wasn’t
sure how to keep his beast from trying to track her down.

  A scream echoed overhead. Bloody Hell, she’s in trouble.

  Cold blood surged through his veins from the sound of her voice. United in body and soul in his wolf form, he was still conscious of the fact that once a wolf picked a mate, they were bonded for life. Even though his wolf hadn’t claimed the woman’s inner beast yet, it would fight to the death trying to protect her.

  Chapter 2

  Beth raced toward the path that led to the nearby village. An enormous gray wolf hurdled from behind the line of sacred rowan trees. It crouched low to the ground and headed for her.

  She stopped, spotting the narrow lane leading to the ocean. Normally too treacherous to travel by night, it now proved her best means of escape. Hoping to hide, she bolted, making a run for it. The heavy rain made the trail slippery. Stumbling over slick rocks and broken shells, her feet slipped out from under her. She fell forward and tumbled downhill, scraping her arms against the sharp stones and cutting them open. Blood trickled down her wrist.

  The creature followed close behind and stopped. It raised its head and sniffed the air, probably smelling the fresh scent of blood. It growled, saliva dripping from its snowy white fangs.

  Beth searched for a sharp stick or rock. Anything within her reach to use as a weapon.

  “Go away,” she screamed.

  A hard lump swelled in her throat. Her body trembled. Like helpless prey, she drew in her breath, waiting for the predator to claim his kill.

  Beth froze and laid still. She remembered reading stories of people surviving wild animal attacks by playing dead, so she clamped her eyes shut and held her breath.

  A foul, hot breath hovered over her face. Something cold and wet prodded the side of her neck. She gagged as warm bile rose in her throat. Any second now, she expected its piercing fangs to sink deep inside her jugular vein. Her eyes opened wide, she stared at the enormous animal standing beside her.

  Like a cat toying with a mouse before the kill, the creature shoved her body with his nose, edging her toward the bank of a steep ledge overlooking the ocean. The roaring sounds of the crashing waves thundered in her ears.

  Her hands sweaty, she wrapped her arms around a skinny tree trunk rooted between thriving ferns and a moss-covered rock and held on for dear life.

  Like a raging bull, an enormous black wolf hurtled toward them. Ramming its head into the gray wolf’s side, taking the beast by surprise and propelling it several feet in the air. The gray wolf landed with a thud as it hit the ground and grunted. The beast rose quickly, shaking its head, saliva spewing from its mouth.

  With ears pointed forward, the black wolf stood tall and steady, towering over its opponent. The stunning creature snarled, exposing its jagged canines.

  The gray wolf growled, its immense paws inching closer. Its chest crouched close to the ground before it sprung and attacked. Their bodies wrestling in a tight lock, thick strands of fur flung through the air and sprinkled the ground.

  Crack.

  The weak bark splintered between Beth’s grasp. The tree bent like a piece of rubber, sending her body plummeting several feet in midair over the steep cliff. Her stomach lurched. She opened her mouth and screamed. A lump wedged in her throat. Taking short breaths, she glanced down to find the thrashing waves lunging beneath her. Frantic, she searched for anything sturdy to grasp to keep her from falling into the cold ocean.

  An eerie squeal raced over her head. A massive gray bundle plummeted off the cliff, just missing her. She gripped the branch, her body hugging the sharp rocks. A cry howled overhead. She peered up in time to see the black wolf staring down at her. Strands of wet hair clung to her face and covered her mouth. She blinked, her gaze momentary locked with his. The wind lashed at her face and bare limbs. She shuddered, leaning her head on her arm.

  The tree swayed and lifted several inches in the air. Her body trembling, her arm wrapped tighter around the bark. The black wolf walked backward with the broken limb clenched in its mouth, pulling her up.

  Beth’s arms grew weak and quivered. Her palms were wet, and her fingers began to slip. Losing her grip, she squealed. With her arms flailing, her body bounced against the jagged rocks as images of Darby and Keara flashed before her eyes. The breath knocked out of her, she grasped for air.

  The wolf howled. His anguished cries were the last thing she heard as her body plunged into the freezing water.

  The icy grip of the ocean dragged Beth into its eerie darkness. Her ribcage contracted in sharp pain like heavy boulders crushing her chest. The fear of drowning flooded her mind, knowing she was never a good swimmer. Stricken with panic, she held her breath until her head bobbed above the water and she gasped for air.

  Her limbs grew numb becoming harder to move, and her neck stiffened like a wooden board. Glancing into the vast emptiness of water surrounding her with no hope of finding any land close by, she resisted the powerful urge to close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

  With a jolting gasp, she struggled for every breath of fresh air as each one became more difficult than the one before.

  Like a snake coiling around a branch, something wrapped around her ankles and seized her feet. Her body plummeting, she sank into blackness. Beth’s eyelids bolted open. She opened her lips to scream, but salt water rushed inside her mouth, making her choke.

  Her head throbbed as she tried to focus on the hideous glowing creature floating in front of her face. Its red gleaming eyes stared, studying her. Beth’s heart raced in her chest. Her eyes widened in fear as the creature grabbed her arm.

  Like a teabag dunked into a cup of hot steamy water, Beth’s body began to heat rapidly. A clear bubble inflated around her head. She gasped for air, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

  The creature’s webbed fingers tightened its grip around her wrists.

  Beth squirmed and grimaced at its hideous face. The beast opened and closed its puckered fishy lips, its red eyes locked with hers. She noticed it didn’t have a nose. Long scarlet tendrils of silky hair floated around its webbed green body. Beth opened her mouth to scream again, but nothing came out. With a feeling of heavy weights tied to her limbs, she found herself unable to move.

  Her pulse raced, and her ears popped. Beth cringed and watched the creature lower its ugly head to her wrist. Floating helpless like a stone statue, she was at the mercy of the beast. Panic raced through Beth, the intense heat from the creatures clutch raged through her body, becoming unbearable.

  Beth bit her lip. A warm, sticky substance filled her mouth. The creature raised its head. Beth’s blood dripped from its fishy lips.

  Sizzling bubbles exploded from Beth’s wrist like sparkling underwater fireworks. She glanced down at the mark embedded above her swollen hand.

  The symbol was identical to the one the spider imprinted on the Highlander sketch.

  A mammoth black object came out of nowhere. Her heart fluttered as she recognized the animal that came to her rescue for the second time. The black wolf slammed headfirst into the creature, causing it to loosen its grip on Beth’s arms.

  Beth squirmed, struggling to escape. With every last bit of strength, she kicked her feet against the monster and pushed her body away from its webbed clutches. The air pocket burst around her head. She held her breath. A steamy mist enveloped her body against the icy ocean.

  The creature struggled beneath the tight clasp of the black wolf’s hold on its arm and wrapped its legs around the wolf’s body. Tiny suction cups gripped the enormous animal. Like an octopus, it squeezed its prey, dragging it deeper in the water.

  Beth kicked her legs and waved her arms, staring into depths of darkness. Fear clutched her heart. The wolf was in danger now—because of her. Dagger-sharp pains clenched her chest as her lungs were running out of oxygen. With one last look for any signs of
the wolf, she thrust upward until her face surfaced above water. Giddy and lightheaded, and her wrist searing with pain, she grabbed the necklace around her neck that Darby had given her.

  Trying to keep afloat, she pushed the hair from her eyes. The freezing temperatures returned. Her limbs turning numb, she realized her fate was becoming gloomier by the moment. She’d only survived the monster’s attack with the help of the black wolf.

  Because of her, the stunning wolf must be dead by now. How she wished she’d listened to Darby in the first place and never left the cottage.

  The wind whisked the swirling mist away from her head and parted the thick fog. She blinked.

  A ship sailed in the distance. Her wrist filled with sharp, intense pains. She winced. Her eyelids grew heavy, begging for sleep.

  With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, waiting for her final fate. Beth concentrated on the Highlander Captain portrayed in her sketch. If she was going to her death, she wanted to die reliving pleasant memories of her family. Her dreams running wild, she imagined a pair of strong arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her out of the water.

  She struggled to open her eyes as her body sank into warm covers wrapping around her. Her focus locked on the man holding her in his arms. He spoke with a thick Scottish brogue.

  “This should prove to be one hell of a long journey. I’m afraid the others willna be pleased to find a woman on board, come mornin’. Much less a cursed vixen at that.”

  Chapter 3

  “But, Captin’. Do ye not think it wise to take the lass to shore before the others return? With this bloody wind, they shouldn’t trace her scent. If we hurry, they’ll never know she came on board. Besides, surely one of the locals from the nearby village will run across her soon enough and take her in.” McGregor grumbled and shook his head while lowering the rope ladder back over the starboard side of the ship.