“I know it upsets you, but it pleases me greatly.”
Unable to help herself, she smiled at him. “And I’m glad. You saved all of us this morn. You and Logan both. Without you, I wouldn’t be here now.”
“Many still doona trust us.”
“They probably never will. It is their way to distrust anything they don’t know, and since they never leave the village, they know nothing. It doesn’t help that we’ve always been told the Warriors are evil.”
He chuckled and stretched his legs out in front of him before he crossed his ankles.
“How long have you been a Warrior?” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but she was curious as to how long he’d been immortal.
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“I’m sure.”
He rose to his feet in one fluid motion of power and agility. “Two hundred and fifty years. Now get some rest. Tomorrow will be longer than today.”
Reaghan followed him with her eyes until he was lost in the darkness. It wasn’t until she was on her side, her arm tucked beneath her head, that she realized an entire day had gone by without the ache in her head.
*
Galen found Logan leaning against a tree outside the camp. “I’ll take first watch.”
Logan shrugged. “All right. How did Reaghan react to your answers?”
“How do you think?”
“She seemed to take it fairly well from what I could see. And hear.”
Galen grunted. “Mind your own business.”
“So you really couldna see into her mind?”
“Nay.” Galen took a deep breath. He looked out into the cold, lonely darkness. “She thinks it might be something from her past that is blocking me from her mind.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think there is much more to Reaghan than meets the eye. There is no one I have touched in my years as a Warrior whose mind I haven’t seen into.”
Logan shrugged and pushed off the tree. “It should prove an interesting journey then.”
Galen watched as his friend went to the fire and cut off another piece of meat with his claws before he moved far away from the fire and settled to eat.
As Galen walked the perimeter of their camp, his thoughts turned again and again to Reaghan. He hadn’t wanted to try to see into her mind, but like her, he was interested as to why he couldn’t.
He had assumed he was gaining control over his power, when in fact that wasn’t the circumstance. And it probably never would be the case.
Galen was on his second pass around the camp when Mairi stepped into his path. He paused and considered the elder. “I gather you wish to speak to me?”
“I do. Can you spare a moment?”
He nodded and waited for her to come to him. She didn’t fully trust him. If she wanted to talk, she would have to take those few steps to close the distance.
“I saw you speaking to Reaghan,” Mairi said.
“I’ve spoken to many Druids today.”
Her lips flattened briefly. “You know what I mean. Reaghan isn’t meant for you, Galen.”
“Who is she meant for?”
Mairi dropped her gaze, refusing to meet his eyes. “That is not your concern. You need to let Reaghan know you aren’t interested in her other than as a friend.”
“But I am interested. Very. Why should I lie to her and myself?”
Mairi’s eyes snapped fire as she met his gaze. “Because I am asking it.”
“Nay, you are demanding it. I will no’ do as you ask. No’ without an explanation.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her to speak.
His god demanded he touch her and see into her mind. He could find out all he needed to know with that one touch. But Galen had told himself he wouldn’t abuse his power in such a way. Unless Mairi left him no choice.
Mairi rolled her eyes. She shifted from one foot to the other before she relented. “I will answer what I can. What do you want to know?”
“Who is Reaghan meant for?”
“That I cannot tell you.”
Just as Galen suspected. “Was it a fever that robbed Reaghan of her memories?”
Mairi was silent so long Galen thought she might not respond. “In a manner,” she finally answered.
“And before the fever? What happened?”
Mairi twisted her fingers, her anxiety vibrating off her. “Reaghan lived a full life. She was happy.”
“There is something you aren’t telling me. What is so important about her that it must be kept secret?”
She shrugged. “There is much I cannot tell you.”
“Until you give me the answers I need, I willna stay away from Reaghan. I enjoy her company, and she enjoys mine. Why should we deny ourselves?”
Mairi gaze silently beseeched him before she turned on her heel and stomped away.
Galen shook his head after the elder. He suspected she wanted Reaghan kept away from him because he was a Warrior. And before she discovered that, it was most likely because Mairi hadn’t known him, didn’t trust him.
But the way it felt to hold Reaghan in his arms, to taste her sweet lips, was like paradise. Galen still recalled the women he had made love to before his god had been unbound. After his god was released, he had given in to his needs on occasion, though he regretted every one since he couldn’t stop seeing into their minds.
Despite all of that, none of those women had felt half as good as Reaghan. Reaghan was special, and not just because he couldn’t read her mind. It went much deeper.
He wanted her against him again, to caress and lick her silken skin, to plunge his fingers in her wild cascade of curls. He wanted her soft body atop him, to cup her breasts as she slid down his cock. He wanted to thrust inside her, to drive into her hard and fast and hear her scream her pleasure.
Galen cursed himself and the arousal that wouldn’t go away, not with Reaghan just paces from him.
He looked at the stars through the tree branches, but the clouds blocked even the moon from his view. A storm was brewing, he could tell by the rising wind. Rain was coming, and he feared it would only slow them more.
FIFTEEN
It was the pain, the excruciating, stomach-rolling, body-twisting pain, that pulled Reaghan out of her sleep. She wanted to curl into herself, to let out the cry that built inside her.
Instead, she lay as still as she could, her eyes squeezed tightly closed as the agony took over. Her brain burned, and every beat of her heart made the throbbing even worse.
Reaghan tried to think of something pleasant, something which would help to ease her. Her mind immediately thought of Galen, but not even the memories of him holding and kissing her could help with the pain in her head.
The only thing she could rejoice in was that it happened while everyone was still asleep and she was already lying down. She didn’t want Galen to see her like this and think her weak. He was a Warrior, an immortal with the power to read minds. What would he think of a woman who was brought to her knees by an ache in her head?
A tear spilled from between her lids and rolled across her cheek to her nose. Why were the headaches plaguing her? And why were they getting worse?
