Highlander's Seduction (The Matheson Brothers #3)

Colin MacKenzie sneered and stormed toward her, victory sparking in his gaze. He snatched her arms and hauled her up against him. “I want eternal life, and you’re going to damn well give it to me, right n—”

A crash sounded. The door splintered and the armoire toppled over. Kirk and his brothers jumped the debris, their swords raised. MacKenzie dragged her in front of him and slid his blade hard up against her neck. “Dinnae come any closer,” he snarled at Kirk.

“Well, unless you wish to lose your head right now, you’ll release my mate.” Biceps bulging, his gaze fierce, Kirk stormed toward her.

“She has no’ taken a mate, and I intend to be the one that she does.” MacKenzie’s fetid breath washed over her face. “Speak the spell to bind us, princess.”

“I’m no’ your princess and I’ve already spoken the spell with the man who stands afore you. He is my chosen one, just as I am his.” She cocked a brow at Kirk. “I wish to leave. Are you ready to go?”

“I won’t be a moment. No one raises a blade to my woman without learning a very strong lesson, that it’ll never happen again.”

“Those there are fighting words,” the MacKenzie spat at him, his voice rumbling low and deadly. “But I hold her and you dinnae.”

Goodness. She needed to get out of the middle of this fight. As one with the air, she disappeared and swirled in behind Kirk before retaking her true and visible form. With one hand against his back, she breathed in a rush, “I’m right here.”

“Iain, watch Cherub for me.” Kirk let out a fierce battle cry, one that rang in her ears then echoed out into the hall.

MacKenzie came at Kirk, just as Kirk came at him.

Their two great blades clashed dead center and sparked, the brutal force of the strike sending Kirk lurching back a step under the jarring impact.

“There is naught I like more than an eager opponent.” MacKenzie slid his axe free, both his weapons in hand.

“I’m the most eager opponent you’ll ever meet. Let’s end this.” Kirk struck and MacKenzie lunged and met his attack.

“You’ll never halt me from getting what I want.” MacKenzie grinned as the clamor of booted feet traveled toward them.

“Damn, it looks like we’re about to have company.” Iain bounded over the splintered armoire and into the hall. Cherub rushed in behind him. A wall of oncoming warriors loomed, their weapons raised. “Finlay, Kirk,” Iain bellowed. “We need to leave, now!”

“Give me one more moment.” Kirk slammed his blade into MacKenzie’s, so hard the man tumbled to one knee. Finlay whacked MacKenzie’s axe from his hand and Kirk slid his sword tight against their enemy’s throat and pressed until blood oozed. “Never, ever, touch my woman again, or next time I will slice your head from your shoulders. Eternal life will never be yours, not so long as I live.”

MacKenzie opened his mouth to answer but Kirk smashed the hilt of his sword down on his head and he slumped onto the ground.

Kirk leapt out the door, Finlay right behind him and never had she been more proud of her mate. Or more worried.

“Hold onto me,” she yelled to Kirk and his brothers.

They all snatched ahold of her then she did as she was born to do, her duty, that of protecting and guarding her kin. With a flick of her fingers, she swirled the thick air in the hall into a twirling mass and sent it whirling into the oncoming warriors. They skidded backward and toppled over each other. They tumbled out the wide open double doors and across the stony yard.

Outside, the mist rose with the rush of wind that she continued to churn and swiftly, she followed her enemy, the ‘power of three’ connected to her and kept safe within the cocoon of stillness she maintained around the four of them. In the center of the courtyard, she shouted over the melee, “I am Cherub, and from this day forth, should you ever think to attack my kin again, I will bring the wrath of the skies down upon you until not one stone in this keep stands.”

“Well said.” Kirk tightened his hold around her waist from behind. “And remind me to never rile you up in the future.”

“Aye, I wouldnae recommend it.” She smiled at him, cloaked them all then swept them up into the sky and over the curtain wall before lowering them gently down onto the rocks next to their skiff. She patted her racing heartbeat. Never had she placed herself in such a dire position before.

Kirk scooped her up into his arms, crushed her against his chest in a fierce hold and kissed her. “You’re not to leave me again, and I want your word on that.”

“Aye, I can see the benefits to keeping you close.” She kissed him back, just as fiercely as he’d kissed her. She’d never leave on another mission of such importance without him at her side and she sent that promise winging down their link directly to him.

“Good. I’m glad we’re finally in agreement.”