Highlander's Shifter: Time Travel Romance (The Matheson Warriors Book 1) Page 3

  Jamie growled yet again and snagged her hand, pulled her through the front foyer and outside onto the top step. On the other side of the inner bailey, a good thirty men wearing jeans or belted plaids had broken into pairs and with sweat gleaming on their bare chests, battled each other with their swords and shields glinting. All within their clan still adhered to the old ways even though modern technology had changed the world, and with their fae-shifter blood running so strong, the only way to expend their immense energy was with such intense training.

  She surveyed the men, almost all unmated. One more month and she’d know which one of them would be her chosen one. She longed for that night, yet not the deep disappointment which would surely arise for those of her clansmen she didn’t form a bond with. Life wasn’t fair, not when their shifter clan now stood on the brink of extinction. More births were needed, particularly of the female variety so they could repopulate their clan.

  Lifting her gaze to Jamie’s, she kept her voice low and whispered, “I both long for the next full moon and fear it.”

  “So do I.” He caught her elbow and steered her around the side of the keep along the cobbled path. “My bear needs a mate to settle down with.”

  She slipped through the postern gate where a guardsman stood at attention on the ramparts high above. Even though they had surveillance cameras positioned along the curtain wall at regular spaced intervals, they still kept physical eyes on their forested land and the long length of Loch Alsh running alongside it.

  “Want to drive?” Jamie marched toward the closest black SUV parked in the rear lot, one of amongst a dozen or more gleaming SUVs. Dangling the keys in one hand, he opened the driver’s door. “You always say I never give you the chance to drive when we head out.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather you drive today. I’m feeling a little distracted and uneasy still from my conversation with Liam. I don’t want to be a non-ovulating woman.” She walked around to the passenger door, although he whipped around the hood and beat her to it. With a flourish, he opened the door. Hands on her hips, she glared. “Oh, so now you’ll open a door for me?”

  “You are in one feisty mood today.” He tipped his head toward the seat. “Inside with you now and stop giving me so much sass.”

  “Sass is good for the soul.” Smiling, she hopped in and strapped her seatbelt into place.

  “So is a little Bella.” Smiling back at her, he tossed their bags into the rear then slid behind the wheel, reached across the gears and squeezed her hand resting on her leg. “You truly do smell ripe to me. Like a luscious plum ready to be plucked from a tree, or maybe a strawberry dunked in chocolate and my teeth a mere breath away from sinking into it.” He moaned and licked his lips. “Or even an ice cream waiting to be consumed on a hot summer—”

  “Okay, okay, I get it.” His heated words sizzled through her and as she looked into his eyes, she wanted only to drown in those shimmery golden depths. A few years ago, on the day she’d first reached adulthood, he’d been the one and only man to ever make her feel this hot and needy with just a few words alone. Aye, for years all she’d ever desired was to be closer to him. “Thank you for that rather descriptive analogy. It means a lot to me that you’d say all of that.”

  “You’re welcome.” He flicked the ignition on, tuned the radio to her favorite channel then turned the music down so it wouldn’t blare too loud in their sensitive shifter ears.

  “Not having a cycle is upsetting me. It makes me feel so out of sorts, like those times when our bears go into hibernation. They’re still there, but sluggish to awaken and bring forth.”

  “When was the last time you shifted? Perhaps that’s part of the problem.” Hands firm on the wheel, he drove along the winding gravel road lined with lush grass and wildflowers, the leafy elm trees growing either side of the road arching inward and creating a tunnel with a touch of sunshine dappling through the leaves overhead. The forest spread out for miles either side of their keep nestled right alongside Loch Alsh, the vivid tranquility of both the trees and the blue-green waters of the waterway so soothing. This was the most beautiful place on Earth, the only land she ever wanted to call home.

  “It’s been a month. I try not to shift too often, not when the men have been getting all riled up of late when I do. It isn’t easy when my bear is hungering for her release to keep her contained.” She lowered her window and rested her arm along the soft leather interior of the armrest. She tapped away. “I’d like to shift while we’re away. It’ll be easier on them and me if I do.”

  “Of course, and tell me what happened the last time you shifted, and be exact.”

  “Three of the men scented me and tore through the trees all snapping and snarling at each other. Mason even took a patch off Eli’s butt.”

  “Ahh, so that’s how that happened.” He grinned, finding the humor in the situation, something she didn’t mind at all. His small flare of joy helped to soothe her frazzled nerves further. “Eli has already healed, in case you’re worried.”

  “I wasn’t.” Shifters healed far faster than mere humans ever could. “Will you shift with me? I need a playmate when I do, and Hunter and the chief trust you around me for a reason.”

  “At the moment, I don’t trust myself so no, but I’ll make certain your little bear has a chance to come out and play while we’re away.”

  “Are you scared of me?” She tapped his nose then gasped as he caught her hand and nipped her fingertips.

  “At present, I’m petrified of you.” He released her hand just as quickly as he’d grabbed it.

  “Yet I’m only half your size, so you shouldn’t be.”

  “Half my size, but twice as dangerous.”

  “You love danger.”

  “Not when that danger comes in the form of a nearly mature female bear looking all peachy-perfect and ready for me to take a bite out of her.” He caught her hand again, lifted it to his head and pushed her fingers into his shaggy dark locks. “I need a scratch.”

  “You would have had one well before now if you’d stopped locking your chamber door on me.” Aye, shifters needed touch on a level unlike any other, particularly when it soothed their bears and lately she’d missed touching him since he’d pulled away from her.

  As they left the sanctuary of Matheson land behind and joined the rumbling traffic on the main highway toward the village, she scraped her nails back and forth across his scalp. His dark hair was that exquisite shade of brown that held both a few strands of black and yet also gold, the three stunning colors matching his bear’s pelt to perfection. In bear form, dark brown graced his back and sides, while golden hair covered his belly, and black tipped his ears and paws.

  After each gentle scrape, she gave his locks a tug and his pleasure at her attention floated free and wrapped around her, just as the warm and spicy aroma of his delicious scent did. It made her bear roll around in the sweet elixir of it.

  “Again,” he growled, the low rumble making her belly flutter.

  She slid her fingers deeper into his hair, curled her palm right over the top of his head then yanked on his hair far more forcefully.

  “Mmm, perfect. Add the nails in too.” His burning need emanated strongly from him, a need she couldn’t ignore.

  “Sometimes,” she murmured as she scraped her nails deeper over his scalp then down his neck and under the collar of his denim jacket, “I struggle to understand why Isla first ran from her mate.”

  “She isn’t running from Iain anymore.” He drove past a gas station, where a white van and a red four-door passenger car filled up. Two children dashed across the forecourt, buzzed into the shop and eyed the candy section near the cash register.

  “No, and now she’s also pregnant and expecting two boys.” Isla was one of her dearest friends and their chief’s one and only child. They drove on, past rolling fields of lush grass. Up ahead, the stone steeple of a church rose high, the village’s buildings on the main street lined up either side of it. “Murdock said Isla and Iain will be back tomorrow from Ivanson Castle. I can’t wait to see her. She’s been gone too long.”

  “I heard there’s to be a feast held in celebration of her return.” Jamie slowed as he drove through the quiet streets of the village and once they’d passed through the small settlement of stone and wattle-and-daub houses, he picked up his speed. “Do you want to go together?”

  “That sounded suspiciously like you’re asking me out, like on a date.” Which he’d never done before, and never would unless they were in fact soul bound.

  “You were complaining a few hours ago about how I’ve been evading you lately. I’m simply trying to make up for it.” He followed the thinning, winding road up into the mountains.

  “I don’t do pity dates.” The fresh air breezed through her open window and lifted her hair, tickled the strands across her skin and set her senses alight.

  “You’re getting all feisty again. You want to talk some more about your ovulation issues? Do you want me to be there when Liam takes your bloodwork?”

  “Not if you’re going to get all moody and aggressive on me as you did earlier in the hallway.”

  “You haven’t even seen me get truly moody and aggressive yet.” He caught her hand and settled it on his upper thigh, muttered, “I need more. Dig your nails in right here.”

  “Oh, I believe I have.” She dug her nails deep into the muscled length of his upper thigh through the soft cotton of his black cargo pants.

  He growled low again, with a far deadlier rumble.

  Frowning, she raked her nails harder into his flesh. “Are you all right?”

  “I might not be an empath, but I can sense your pain and worry about the men you won’t form a bond with. My bear wants out, to stand in front of you and kee
p a strong guard, to take all your burdens onto his shoulders and to make certain you never have to fight whatever is about to come alone.”

  “He’s one stroppy bear.” She couldn’t help but smile.

  “He is around you.”

  “Let’s talk about our coming mission instead of our joint stroppiness.” A far safer topic, although even as she spoke the words, she stroked around to his inner thigh and dug her nails in there too. Mine, her stroppy bear grumbled within her. Settle down, she snapped back. He’s not ours unless the next full moon decrees that is so, and let’s damn well hope it does since we both want him to be the one.

  “Sure, let’s do that. Ladies first.”

  “Rumor about the keep is that your fae skill is strengthening.” He held the ability of telekinesis, could move an object or even a person with naught but a mere thought from his mind alone. “Tell me everything, so I’m not surprised if I see those strengthening skills in action at the B&B.”

  “Nope, I’m not telling you a thing. I might need that element of surprise.” He lowered his speed, the corners tightening as the road curved in and around the rising mountain path.

  “Even against me?”

  “Particularly against you.” He indicated, turned off the Old Forest Road and entered a gravelly side road. They bumped over rutted tracks, the SUV managing the rougher terrain with ease.

  Not a car in sight.

  It was just them and the towering pines for as far as the eye could see.

  “I’m hungry.” He tipped his head toward the backseat. “Do you mind grabbing the emergency basket of snack food in the back? I missed breakfast.”

  “Not at all. One sec.” She unbuckled her belt, bent back and heaved the wicker basket forward then buckled up again with the basket on the floor between her feet. She flipped open the lid and smiled at the offerings within. All prepackaged snack food, from beef jerky to protein bars and cheesy crackers. Bottles of water were propped to one side along with an assortment of her favorite Swiss chocolate bars. She extended one claw, sliced open the beef jerky and handed a long strip to Jamie before ripping open the wrapping of the chocolate bar and stuffing two pieces in her mouth. The creamy milk chocolate melted on her tongue and sent her taste buds into a frenzy. “Oooh, this is so delicious.”

  “Chocolate alone won’t provide you with all the energy you’ll need for this coming day. Have a protein bar.”

  “Wanna bet?” She popped another two pieces into her mouth as they bumped over the gravelly track leading ever deeper into the forest. The sweet explosion of decadence made her bear release a long purr deep inside of her. “My other half likes chocolate as much as I do. I also ate not long before we left. Eggs on toast.”

  “Good. You did better than me.” He snagged a bottle of water and chugged half of it down.

  “Are you a thirsty bear?”

  “Aye, and more jerky please.”

  She tore off a bite-sized piece of jerky and grinning, waved it in front of his nose. “Is this what you want?”

  “Pass it here, or I’ll”—he jerked forward and snapped his teeth together, missing the jerky by an inch—“bite you too when I get it.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” She waved the piece some more and he lunged and closed his mouth over the jerky and her two fingers.

  Giggling, she tried to pull out of his grip except he sucked, his tongue rolling around both her and the jerky. With another bout of giggles, she popped her fingers free.

  He eased back into his seat and moaned his pleasure as he chewed. “Now that’s what I call delicious. Some Bella mixed in with my meat.”

  “You’re such a naughty bear.” She set a protein bar on his lap, which he unwrapped as he drove and ate.

  Around the next corner, a quaint stone cottage emerged with smoke puffing from its chimney and horses whickering from within a high wooden beamed corral to the side. The forest rose sure and strong behind it, large pines that swayed in the brisk breeze. This place had always made a sweet playground for her bear.

  “We’re here.” He pulled into the gravel parking lot in front of the MacDonald’s B&B with its rustic front sign slightly titled just under the eaves over the front door. Ivy crept up one side of the main facade, while a cottage garden showcased a wide variety of flowering bushes planted along the other.

  “The last time I came up here was when Hunter and I stayed with Gordon and Greer last summer.” She’d always adored visiting this remote part of the Highlands, and Gordon and Greer were wonderful hosts, although thankfully quite unaware of their fae-shifter abilities. Very few outside of their clan knew of their true heritage, and that’s the way things needed to stay.

  Greer stood over a rose bush with pruning secateurs in hand, her frilly yellow and white apron tied around her ample waist and a tightly furled red rose in hand. She walked over to Gordon, a stout man with gray hair who hammered in a marker into the soft soil at the end of the garden path. Greer set the rose on top and smiled softly, a wave of grief rolling from her, one that usually signified the recent loss of a beloved pet.

  She pressed the window button and it whirred up.

  “What’s happening?” Jamie eyed her as he turned the key off.

  “Let’s give them a few minutes.” She squeezed his arm. “They’ve lost a pet I’d say.”

  “Wait here then. I’ll get your door and we can take in the air and see if we can pick up any traces of these bears we’re after.” He tucked his water bottle back in the basket, opened his door and jogged around to her side.

  She accepted his offered hand, eased out and eyes closed, breathed deep as the fresh aroma of the forest swirled all around her. The crisp scent of the pines and the earthy notes of the land teased her senses, although Jamie’s warm and spicy aroma overrode it all, his bear’s fur-rich scent clinging to her since he stood so close. Oh aye, she could happily drown in his yummy fragrance. Eyes open, she smiled at him. “I can’t scent any other bears, other than you.”

  “I can scent only your bear as well.” He leaned over her, sank his nose into her hair and dragged in a deep breath. His bear rumbled deep within him, his chest vibrating as she pressed a hand against his heart. “You always smell so good, my sweet little bear.”

  “Well, you stink.” She laughed and pushed against his chest. “Stop hovering.”

  “You’re a terrible liar.” He backed up a step, lifted his aviator sunglasses from the deep V of his honey-yellow t-shirt and slid them on. Surveying the area, he said, “With this place being so remote, the possible number of visitors to this area will thankfully be small.”

  “To bears though, the untamed forest surrounding this place would definitely call to their hearts.” It certainly called to hers and Hunter’s hearts whenever they’d visited.

  “The Chief gave me three vials of sedative, said we were dealing with two rogues, but that I can use the last one on myself if I wish.” Hands fisted at his sides, his claws suddenly sliced out and in, then out again.

  “Hey, you don’t need to do that.” She caught one of his hands, traced over one extended claw.

  “My bear is currently fighting the early stages of the coming full moon, which means by midnight when the moon hits it peak, I will need to sedate him. If I don’t, you’ll be his number one fascination, a meal tastier than any jerky or protein bar could ever be.”

  “Then we’ll catch these rogues by then.” Many of the unmated males struggled, but none ever stayed too close to let her see that struggle. They’d take off, let their bears go hunt for the night of the full moon and when they returned in the morning, they were back to being their usual selves.

  “I also don’t care to have you in the near vicinity of any rogues.” He opened the rear door and snagged their bags from the backseat. With their satchels slung over his shoulder, he gestured for her to go first. “While we’re here, stay close to me. Let’s go.”

  She didn’t move a step, just leaned back against the side of the SUV. “Hunter and the chief allowed us to team up for the night because they knew you could handle any distraction due to me. You should have more faith in yourself, just as they do.”