Despite the hardness of his face, his wide lips could tilt in a devastating smile that sent her emotions spinning. But when his blue-gray eyes locked with hers, it was as if the world faded to nothing.
She saw only him, felt only him.
Knew only him.
His tall body with his impossibly hard muscles felt so good against hers. The memory of their fleeting kiss, his heat, and the way she wanted to wrap her arms and legs around him and hang on for dear life revisited her every time she closed her eyes.
Even knowing he was most likely there to kill her, she couldn’t resist him or the attraction. He was temptation and danger rolled into one delicious package.
She couldn’t look at his lips without thinking of their kisses, of how she craved more. He was impossible to resist. The fact she didn’t want to resist him is what caused all the problems.
He couldn’t have been more tempting if he were laid out naked on her bed and covered in chocolate. His allure, his seductive eyes, and his damned charm were slowly getting the better of her.
How she wished she could give in to his tantalizing body and inviting arms. His blatant masculine sexuality enticed, tempted, and completely shattered any walls she tried to put up to keep him out.
The food arrived quickly, and she wasted little time in eating. The migraine had begun to let up a tad when she finished.
Aisley leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, her sunglasses still on. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t use magic to stop the migraines. Jason had told her numerous times it was because she was weak.
She didn’t know why her magic didn’t work that way, only that it didn’t. But she couldn’t heal herself of anything, even a small cut.
Maybe it was the evil inside her that prevented such things. A Druid with healing magic was rare, and it took pure magic. Pure had never been something Aisley was.
“Certainly not now,” she murmured to herself.
As much as she wanted to stay and relax, she had to get back on the road. It wasn’t a good idea to stay in one place too long when she was being chased.
Aisley pulled out some money and dropped it on the table next to the ticket before she rose to head back to her car. She blew out a long breath when she was once more behind the wheel.
Sleep was the best thing for her migraine, but there wasn’t time for that. She knew without a doubt that Phelan was tracking her.
“Why didn’t he kill me?” she asked herself.
No matter how many times she had thought about what occurred in Glasgow, she still couldn’t grasp why he hadn’t killed her. He almost made it look as if he were helping her.
And he let her leave.
“Another question I won’t have answered.”
But did she really want answers from the Warrior with the devastating smile and eyes that stripped her bare every time he looked at her?
Yes, God help her, she did.
He was exciting, dangerous, and stirring. Just as he was seduction in a tall, dark package she desperately wanted to rip into.
Aisley shook her head. “He’s a Warrior from MacLeod Castle. He’s supposed to kill me,” she reminded herself.
If only he would wait until she could stop Jason for good. She started the Fiat Bravo and pulled back onto the road. She had a long way to go yet.
* * *
Phelan watched Aisley with barely contained desire from a copse of trees as he sat atop his motorbike. He frowned at how she kept her head away from the sun, as if her sunglasses weren’t enough to shade her eyes.
It was also the way she held her shoulders that alerted him something was wrong. She looked tired, but also unwell. That’s the only thing that stopped him from approaching her again. His seduction was on hold. Again.
Damn, but did the woman know how tempting, how irresistible she was? Could she understand how the driving need to have her in his arms had him in knots?
Phelan waited for her to drive at least twenty minutes ahead of him before he followed. Just as he began to reach for his helmet, his mobile rang.
He pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was a call from Charon. “Aye?”
“Wanted to let you know it looks like Britt’s serum is working. It’s nearly ready to be tested.”
Phelan was glad of the news, and even happier to hear the note of relief in his friend’s voice. “Good. How soon until it’s ready?”
“Aiden has asked for a couple more days, but I could hear the excitement in Ian’s voice when he called.”
“Now might be a good time to have Fallon jump you back to the castle.”
“Why?” Charon asked suspiciously. “Have you found something of Wallace?”
Phelan briefly closed his eyes, knowing he wasn’t doing himself or Charon any favors by following Aisley instead of searching for Wallace. Yet, Phelan told himself that he was searching—as he followed Aisley.
“I would’ve told you if I had. I assumed you’d want to be with the others at the castle to celebrate.”
“I’ll celebrate when this shite is finished.” There was a pause over the line, and then Charon let out a sigh. “I’d rather be preparing for an unwinnable battle than waiting as we are.”
“I wish I had good news, my friend.”
“You suspect you’ll find him.” It wasn’t a question.
And Phelan wasn’t in the habit of lying, especially to Charon, who was like a brother to him. “Aye, I do. Just as Deirdre resurrected, I think Wallace will do the same if he is dead.”
“There wasna a body after the battle was over,” Charon pointed out.
“That means nothing and you know it. It’s a matter of when and how.”
“And how he’ll attack us.”
“Precisely.”
“He’ll come after me and Laura first,” Charon said.
Phelan wished he had words to reassure his friend, but he didn’t. “If he’s stupid enough to do it a second time, then we’ll be waiting. Would it make you feel better if I was in Ferness to help you guard Laura?”
“Aye, but you need to stay out there. Fallon jumped Isla, Reaghan, and Marcail here a few days ago to set up protection shields around the building and they will alert us to a
“That’ll give you enough time to get Laura away.”
“Like I did last time? We all know how well that went. She nearly died.”
Phelan was at a loss how to respond, but that normally happened when he saw or heard Isla’s name. He must have sat there in his thoughts too long because Charon began cussing.
“Sorry. I didna mean to say Isla’s name.”
Phelan shrugged even though Charon couldn’t see it. “Doona fash yourself about it. It’s fine.”
“Nay, it’s no’, and that’s what worries me. After all this time, you have no’ forgiven her, have you?”
“I’m trying.” And Phelan was, just not as much as he should be.
“Deirdre had all of us in some way, shape, or form. You know what she did to me and what she made me do. Isla explained why she tricked you as a lad to leave your family and go with her.”
“I know,” Phelan said harshly. He slammed his fist on his thigh. “I can no’ talk about it without losing my temper, Charon.”
“That’s just it, my friend. You doona talk about it, and you should.”
“It’s better if I doona. Isla is at the castle, and I’m here. The few times I do have to see her is when we’re going into battle. That I can handle.”
There was another pause on Charon’s end of the phone. “She’s a good person. She suffered just as we did. Try to remember that.”
“If I doona, Hayden is there to protect her from me.”
Charon laughed, but Phelan hadn’t been joking. The only thing that kept him from attacking Isla was her
