“Keep touching me and we’ll see.” He stroked one finger along the low neckline of her gown.
“All I want to do is keep you close.” She played with one of his pant ties while overhead, a bird squawked then landed in the canopy and hopped into its nest. All around her the scents of the forest swirled, bringing with it the fresh aroma of pine mixed with the dampness of the earth, although Duncan’s deliciously warm and spicy scent stamped itself over it all.
“I will always long for you, Ella.” His deep voice rumbled with hunger, his blue eyes darkening with lust.
She melted against him, her legs all wobbly. All she wanted to do was rip his clothes from him and topple him to the forest floor. “You’ve stolen my heart, Duncan MacKenzie, and I never wish for you to hand it back.”
“You have mine as well.” Breathing raggedly, he brushed her cheeks with the backs of his hands. “Do you want me right now, the same way I want you?”
“Aye, but we arenae alone out here. Ivor is close.” She rubbed against the heat of his formidably muscled body. Never could she ever deny him what he truly wished for, and right now that appeared to be her.
“There is naught more precious than this mated bond and the depth it grows between us.” He bent his head, trailed kisses along her jaw then when he reached her ear, sucked her lobe into his mouth.
“Well, well, who do we have here?” In a black war coat glinting with studded steel, Gavin MacDonald stepped out from behind a tree. Heavily armed and fully prepared for battle, his claymore sat snugly in his fisted hand while daggers shone from both his wrists. “You spoke of a bond, MacKenzie, the mated bond of the fae I take it? Only how is it such a bond could have formed between the two of you. She’s a Matheson and you’re a MacKenzie.”
“How one formed is of no concern of yours.” Growling under his breath, Duncan left her behind and advanced on Gavin.
“Yet I am intrigued all the same.” Gavin charged forward and Duncan slid his sword free and thrust high. Their two blades crashed together, steel slamming hard into steel and the resounding clang echoed all around. “Did you come by way of it through your mother’s line or your father’s line, I wonder?”
“Again, ’tis of no concern of yours.”
Across the meadow the roar of two warriors meeting head on boomed toward Ella and she ducked around the tree and clutched her chest. Ivor swung his sword at another MacDonald and the chickens roaming freely near the henhouse squawked and flapped out of the way.
Nay. She had to halt this fight right—
“You’re coming with me.” A hand clamped around her mouth and one of Gavin’s men hauled her farther away from Duncan and shoved her up against a trunk. Her head hit hard and black dots hazed her vision. She fought to clear her muddled thoughts. She had to get Duncan’s attention, and she definitely needed to free herself, use her voice to halt this coming battle. Never would she allow blood to be shed here this day.
“My men and I will dispatch both you and your guardsman.” Gavin spat at Duncan’s feet then slashed again, the two men barely visible through the trees. “Then I’ll gather an even larger fighting force and sail for Ardan House. I shall take your holding for myself since you willnae be there to halt me.”
“You go too far.” Duncan twirled as another of Gavin’s warriors bounded out and came in on the other side of him. The three fought, Duncan meeting first Gavin’s blow then swinging at the other warrior.
Her captor dragged her ever deeper into the woods and away. She thrashed and tried to scream, but her shout was naught more than a feeble mumble against his meaty palm.
A fierce roar reverberated and she just caught a glimpse of Ivor jumping over low scrub and skidding in beside Duncan before she was hauled behind several thick bushes. At least her mate now had aid.
“Ella!” Duncan’s bellow cut through the forest and sent birds cackling and soaring high into the sky.
She tried to call out, to fight the thug who’d taken her, but he pinned her to the ground and dropped down on top of her. His fetid breath washed over her, his hand still firm on her mouth as he flipped her skirts. He freed his cock from his pants, grasped his stiff shaft and she writhed, tried desperately to kick him where it ought to hurt.
“Get off my wife.” A blood-curdling battle cry ricocheted all around and Duncan slammed his blade into the warrior. Blood sprayed and the man toppled off her.
“Ella, did he hurt you?” Duncan swept her to her feet and into his arms, the man unmoving on the ground.
“I’m fine. You arrived in time.” She dragged in a deep breath. “Go and aid Ivor.”
“No’ without you.” He tossed her over one shoulder and ran back with her toward the raging battle.