Embrace the Highland Warrior

“Only once.” He didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t ask. No one could get answers out of Cody MacBain if he didn’t want to give them.

“I’m sorry about your truck.”

“I don’t care about the truck, I’m just glad you and Bree are okay. I don’t want you hurt. That’s why I handcuffed you to the bed. You still mad at me?”

“Yes.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Well, get over it. I’m not going to let anything hurt you, and that includes you. You’re smart, and you’re the toughest girl I know, but you can be too brave for your own good. You can’t go up against a demon. He’ll rip you to shreds.”

“I’m not going to sit back and do nothing. This threatens everything I love.”

“Let us handle the demons.”

“Are there female demons?”

“There are, and you don’t want to tangle with them either. They’re as bad as the males. Sometimes worse.”

“You didn’t tell me you’d destroyed an ancient demon.”

He yawned. “We take our assignments as they come.”

She’d brought him nothing but trouble. He got in trouble once already with the Council. What would they do if they found out he told her the whole truth? “What did the Council do to you for telling me about my past?”

“You’ve been talking to Bree. They just… reminded me of my priorities.”

“Thank you for helping me.”

He pulled the covers up to his chest. “That’s what we’re here for.”

“Your duty, right?”

“It’s not duty when it’s someone you care about.” Cody looked at the rose again. “Get some sleep, pip-squeak.” He closed his eyes and curled his long legs on the sofa.

He had to be exhausted, and it was her fault. He was too busy chasing stalkers and trying to protect her to sleep. “Cody, if you want to sleep on the bed, you can.”

His eyes stayed shut. “If I get in that bed, I’ll do more than sleep.”

***

The servant parked his car across the road and crept through the dark woods, trying to shake the feeling of being watched. He caught a flash of something off to the side of the house, but it disappeared. He wasn’t scared of the dark. It soothed him, quieted the gnawing in his head. The gnawing was strong now. Nothing was going according to plan. The warrior should be dead; instead, Shay almost died, and the warrior got to play the hero by rescuing her. If the warrior hadn’t followed her, she would already belong to the servant. She did anyway. She just didn’t know it yet. Neither did his master. Malek didn’t know everything about his servant. He didn’t know about them. His treasures.

He climbed a sturdy maple and propped himself against a thick branch, settling in to wait. He had to get that book, or the master was going to get rid of him. He searched the house while she was at the hospital, no great feat for a security-systems expert, but the book wasn’t there. She must have hidden it somewhere else.

He swung his binoculars toward Shay’s house. A light went off downstairs. She was going to bed. He would wait until she fell asleep, then sneak in and grab her. He let the anticipation build, planning all the things he would do to her. Three lights appeared upstairs. He sat up so fast he almost lost his perch. Did she have company? He couldn’t see her driveway. It was probably him. He should have died today, like that piece of scum in Scotland had, after the servant had caught him spying on Shay, messing with his plans.

The anger started a slow burn, growing stronger, until it gnashed at his insides. He had to release it, or it would eat him alive. Bloodletting was the only way to control the fury. He took off his jacket and pulled the knife from his pocket. It clicked softly as the blade released, glimmering in the moonlight. He set the sharp edge against his skin, the metal cold, hard, biting. He pressed until soft flesh gave against the greater strength of the blade. He gave the knife a slow pull, welcoming the sting. He closed his eyes in ecstasy, imagining it was another arm, another throat.

Chapter 7

A scream sent Shay shooting off the bed. She collided with Cody.

“Lock the door. Don’t leave.” He pulled a gun from somewhere and was gone before Shay could blink.

She took off after him to Matilda’s room. Matilda was clutching the edges of her fuchsia robe, red hair stiff as a ball of wax. Nina rushed in behind them. “He was peeking in the window,” Matilda said, “his eyes filled with lust. Hurry, before he gets away.”

Neither of the older women seemed concerned or surprised to see Cody in the house, wearing only underwear and carrying a gun.

“Don’t leave this room,” Cody said, running out the door. “Please.”

Matilda grabbed the phone and called to alert Marcas and Lachlan. Nina and Shay watched from the window as Cody made his way across the backyard, moving like a whisper. “Oh. There’s someone beside the barn.” She screamed for Cody to watch out, forgetting he couldn’t hear through the glass. Cody lunged, and the two figures went down in a tangle of shadows. They moved out of sight, and Shay raced from the bedroom, followed by Nina and Matilda.

Seconds later, the back door crashed open. Cody stomped in, followed by another man, voices raised.

Jamie.

“I wasn’t looking in the windows. I was guarding the house. What the hell are you doing here?” His eyes narrowed, taking in Cody’s underwear. Jamie moved closer to Shay.