Highlander’s Viking Seductress: Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance Read online

  Stepping away from the table, Gavin was determined to find her. If Tadhg were to miss his birthday feast, he had no wish to forgo Kenna’s company. He spent many moments looking for her, but she was not in any of the usual places. She was not dancing to the pipe music with Iomhar or organizing the staff at the end of the hall, and she was not with her closest friends at their table either.

  He was tempted to abandon his search and return to the top table when he found her. She stood alone by one of the windows, behind the candles and torches, casting her face to the shadows.

  Gavin hurried to her side, but as he neared her, his steps faltered. With one hand, she was holding onto the wall behind her, her entire body rooted to the ground, her limbs still.

  “Kenna? What is wrong?” He reached her side, the better to see her through the shadows. Her face was the perfect picture of shock: her eyes wide, her mouth agape, and her cheeks taught. She gestured forward, in the direction of where her eyes were staring. He turned to see what had surprised her so much.

  In the corner of the room closest to them, though still a little distance away, Iomhar was not alone. He was kissing another woman.

  Gavin snapped his gaze back to Kenna. Her eyes were damp, filling with tears.

  “Kenna, I –”

  “Please, daenae say anythin’.” She waved at him, urging him to be quiet. She tore her stare away from Iomhar to Gavin and raised her chin. Sniffing loudly, she tried to breathe deeply, refusing to let herself cry. “It appears ye were right.”

  “Nay, Kenna. I am so sorry, can I –”

  “It doesnae matter,” she shrugged, as if it meant nothing. Gavin knew her well and could see how heartbroken she was, even as she tried to hide it. “I’m sorry, Gavin, but I have suddenly come over a little tired. I will retire to me room for the night.”

  “Kenna –”

  “Nay more, Gavin.” She walked away before he could reach out to offer comfort. “It doesnae matter.” She kept her head held high as she walked through the revelers, heading for the door to retreat back to her chamber.

  Gavin felt a tightening in his stomach as his eyes flicked back to Iomhar.

  How dare he do that to her?

  Gavin admired his sister’s defiance, the pride with which she would not show herself to be hurt, but he knew her pain by the tears she would not let cross her cheeks. He stared at Iomhar, vowing that he would pay the price for breaking Kenna’s heart.

  He tried to imagine what Kenna was feeling to better to think of a just punishment for Iomhar. The idea of Idunn kissing another man seeped into his mind, forcing him to look away and seek her out in the crowd. She appeared to be equally aware of where he was stood. Feeling his gaze upon her, she looked at him across the room until their eyes connected. She smiled again.

  Gavin felt a twisting in his stomach. If Idunn kissed another, he felt his heart would crack in two. The realization made him walk suddenly across the room towards her.

  He could not escape her. He had been bound to her from the first day he saw her fighting on Banff beach, and every day since had only made him fall for her more. It was time he revealed that he wanted far more than kissing in the shadows. It was not just lust they shared.

  Idunn moved away from the group and presented her tray towards him, as though offering him one of the jugs.

  “A drink, Sir?”

  “Aye.” He took one of them from her. “Meet me tonight.”

  “Tonight?” she whispered in surprise.

  “Aye, after the feast has finished. Ye remember where I found ye tryin’ to escape that night?” His reference to where they had shared their first kiss brought a blush to her cheeks. She nodded in reply. “Meet me there. There is somethin’ I wish to tell ye.”

  She nodded again and walked on, putting the distance between them, though she kept looking back to watch him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After the feast had finished, Gavin paced up and down in his room for many minutes. He rehearsed what he wanted to say in different ways, but in the end, abandoned each attempt. As he moved to the window, he caught a glimpse of a figure in the darkness hurrying away from the servant’s block. It was Idunn, going to their meeting place.

  He rushed to follow her, deciding he would have to think of a way to tell her what was in his heart. Pausing briefly, he looked in the mirror to check his appearance. He had not changed from earlier but mussed his hair slightly, the nerves filling his body again. Pushing away from the glass, he hurried out of the room.

  Walking quickly through the corridors and down the stairwells, he checked over his shoulder to see if anyone spotted he was awake, but no one saw him. Slipping out into the open air, the night was warm, with barely a wind to disturb the peace of the night. He crept along with the shadows of the walls towards the tower and stepped through the door, with one last look over his shoulder to ensure no one was watching.

  At the bottom of the stairs, he found Idunn waiting for him by the barred window. Her face was just visible in the moonlight, her blue-green eyes wide.

  He stepped towards her just as she moved to him, instigating another kiss. Gavin tilted her head back to deepen their kiss as she pressed her body close to him. He realized he could never tire of her kisses. As soon as one of their kisses finished, he wanted the next.

  After a moment, she pulled back, her blue eyes alight from the silvery moon.

  “You wished to tell me something?”

  “Aye, but nae here.” He stepped away from her and reached towards the window behind her.

  “Then, where are we going?” she whispered, following him to the window.

  “Let me show ye.” He smiled with mischief as he pushed open the broken bars, revealing a space through which they could both jump through. He went first, landing on the banked earth below with ease. She went next - hesitating at the window, holding her skirt around her legs before she jumped. He caught her easily, placing her on her feet and looking around the embankments to ensure they had not been seen.

  Taking her hand, he led her away, circling the castle wall towards the stable. It was a clear night, allowing the moon and the stars to guide their path with white light. As they reached the stable, Idunn hesitated in the doorway, holding him back for a moment.

  “Are we travelling somewhere?”

  “But a short distance.” He dropped a kiss to her forehead. “Wait here, tell me if anyone is comin’.”

  She turned her head toward the path to watch as he hurried inside to prepare the horse. His old steed was somewhat troubled by being disturbed at night, but rallied quickly as Gavin placed the reins and the saddle upon him.

  “If we get caught, think of the trouble…” she trailed off, unable to finish.

  “Then we best not get caught.” He smiled at her and held out his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her towards the horse. He climbed up first into the saddle, then offered a hand to pull her up. Sat in the saddle behind her, he marveled at the way she fitted against him. She held onto the saddle, but he quickly took her hands and brought them around his waist. “Hold on tight, bandia.”

  She giggled softly as he urged the steed into action. They moved slowly to avoid making too much sound and drawing attention, but he urged the horse to gallop once out of sight. Behind him, Idunn clung even tighter, allowing his mind to wander back to his fantasies.

  I have to tell her tonight. When we reach the loch.

  Idunn’s eyes wandered across the landscape in awe and wonder. The Devenon loch stretched a great distance, its surface reflecting the sky's inky black nature and the dappling of white stars. Either side of the loch grew purple and green heather, petering into soft shingle where the water lapped.

  “It is beautiful,” she called back to Gavin, as he tied the horse to a rock nearby. To her, the night felt elicit, stealing away together in the darkness to a loch. She had watched Gavin all evening through the birthday feast, her thoughts growing more heated by the minute. Now alone, far away from
anyone else, they did not have to be nervous about who would find them.

  They were free to do as they pleased.

  “Aye, it is.” Gavin moved to stand at her side, staring up at the stars with her. “I have come here many times over the years.”

  “You have?”

  “Aye, I was even here when ye arrived.”

  “You were?” She snapped her gaze to him in surprise.

  “Aye,” he laughed, pointing down to the ground behind her, “To be precise, I was takin’ a nap just there when Kenna came runnin’ to tell me that there were Vikin’s on the horizon.”

  “Not quite what you were expecting then,” she giggled at the idea, looking down to where he had been sleeping before she had known him.

  “Well, the invasion was what I was expectin’. At some point, I ken they would come. Ye was nae what I expected.” His words made her look back up to him. For a minute, they held each other’s gaze. Idunn felt her stomach leap in excitement, suddenly aware of the short distance between them. She could close it if she wanted to.

  Behind his head, her eyes were drawn back to the stars.

  “It is my constellation again.” She pointed it out, urging Gavin to flick his head upward.

  “Ah, the tale of Idunn and Asgard.”

  “That’s the one.”

  “It is bright tonight.” Gavin looked away, back down to Idunn. “I daenae think I told ye, but we have our own tale about that constellation.”

  “You do?”

  “Aye.” He held out his hand towards her, encouraging her to take it. “Come.” She gently placed her hand in his as he guided her to step in front of him, both of them facing out across the loch. He put his hands on her shoulders, the better to whisper in her ear. “Do ye see how the stars map out two men?”

  “Já, I suppose they could do.” Her eyes danced across the glistening silver orbs.

  “Aye. To us, they are Gwyn and Gwyrthur.”

  “Strange names,” she teased, hearing him chuckle behind her.

  “They were brothers, fightin’ over the love of one woman. Creudyladd.”

  “Now, there is an even odder name.”

  “Aye,” he laughed, as he dropped his hands to her waist. He circled his arms around her, making her breath hitch in anticipation. She leaned back into him, the better to hear his deep voice. “It is said that Gwyn took Creudyladd away from her true love, Gwyrthur.”

  Idunn felt herself stiffen in his grasp with the memory of what Tadhg had attempted to do to her earlier, creating a pain in her stomach. She raised her eyes to Gavin, but he was smiling as he looked up to the sky, showing how oblivious he was of her thoughts.

  “What did Gwyrthur do?”

  “He rallied an army and went after her.” He continued to smile as he looked at the stars. “The battle was brutal. Many lost their lives.”

  “It seems rather foolish. So many lost lives. All for the sake of one woman?”

  “So it would seem.” Gavin lowered his gaze to her, connecting their stares. In the moonlight, his green eyes were prominent, the depths of the jade color even stronger. “King Arthur had decided it was quite enough and ordered peace between the two brothers.”

  “What of Creudyladd? What happened to her?”

  “Arthur ordered peace by arrangin’ it so that every year on May Day, the two brothers fight for her hand in marriage again. When they have a winner, they will stop, but there hasnae yet been a victor.” He gestured up to the sky with a flick of his eyes. “It is said around these parts that if ye watch the stars on May Day night, ye can still see them fightin’, throwin’ things at each other.”

  “Shooting stars.” She smiled as she followed his eyes to the constellation.

  “Aye, just so.” His voice was a whisper as he dropped his lips to her forehead, planting a soft kiss there. She closed her eyes for a moment, losing herself in the sensation. “There was a time where I couldnae imagine what it was like to be a man so driven by love to fight for her hand every year for all time.”

  His words made her twist slightly in his arms, trying to gain his gaze again. He looked down at her as he breathed heavily, as though trying to summon the courage to speak.

  “I daenae need to imagine it now. I ken I would do it.”

  “Gavin –” She attempted to turn round to face him, but he held her tighter in his arms.

  “I love ye, Idunn.” He looked up to the stars again.

  “You love me?” Idunn repeated, certain for a moment that she was in one of her dreams, yet it was very real. Gavin’s arms were tight around her waist, and his voice had just whispered such a declaration. “But –”

  “It is nae just lust, Idunn.” He dropped his eyes to her again. “Though I daenae deny that I have never desired anyone as I do ye.” His words brought a smile to her cheeks. “But I cannae pretend it is just lust. I love ye. I love yer determination, yer strength, yer confidence. Yer wit I have nae heard the likes of before. Ye are… I daenae have the words to describe ye, bandia, but I need ye to ken this. I would do anythin’ for ye. Just like Gwyrthur up there,” he looked back up to the stars. “I vow to keep ye safe.”

  “Gavin,” she had to breathe deeply for a moment. His declaration had made her breath stuttered, and her stomach fluttered with nerves. “Can I turn around now?” He laughed and softened his hold on her, allowing her to turn in his grasp. “You do realize you have just declared that you are in love with a slave?” She felt light and full of happiness from his words and could not resist the chance to be mischievous.

  “Nay. I have confessed to bein’ in love with a Vikin’ warrior, bandia.”

  “Bandia. Tell me, what does it mean?” She ran her hands up his arms, unable to keep her touch from him.

  He laughed for a moment, looking down between them as she stepped closer into his arms and pressed their bodies together.

  “It means…” he hesitated, with his countenance evidently distracted as her hands drifted across his shoulders to the collar of his tunic. She rested her hands on his open neck, touching the exposed skin. “Goddess.”

  Goddess?

  The image he had built of her had her in a daze. Her smile was so great, she thought she would never frown again.

  “Gavin,” she whispered, reaching up towards him.

  “Aye?”

  “I promise not to make you fight for me every year on May Day.” Her tease brought another small laugh from him.

  “Ye will stay here, then? With me?” His question was quiet, as though afraid to hear of the answer.

  “Of course, I will,” she whispered, closing the distance between them to kiss him.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Their kiss began as something sweet and soft. She wanted to show Gavin the depth of her feelings through actions rather than words. Pulling on his collar appeared to wake a deep hunger within Gavin. His arms tightened around her waist as the press of his kiss became firmer.

  Idunn responded to it, her body suddenly yearning to be as close as possible to him.

  “Gavin?” she murmured between their heated kisses. With each brush of his tongue, she could feel a fire growing inside her - threatening to engulf her in the heat of its flames.

  “Aye?” He continued to kiss her, parting her lips to claim her tongue. She was distracted for a moment, too captivated by their passion.

  “Let us spend the whole night here,” she whispered eventually, their lips a mere breath away from each other. His eyes widened, looking down at her.

  “The whole night out here? Under the stars?” A small smile tweaked the edge of his lips.

  “No one can disturb us here.” She let her hands dip below the collar of his tunic, trying to show what she meant. “Let me show you what I feel for you too.”

  He smiled before returning her kiss. It was instantly heated, the passion clawing at both of them. Idunn pulled at his tunic, desperate to explore beneath it, but he was more concerned with his hands travelling up her waist and beyond.<
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  The brush of his fingers against her breasts caused Idunn to gasp. She felt them harden with excitement at his touch. As he explored her, circling his fingers around them, her body felt alive with sparks, as though each place he touched left behind a flame.

  She pulled again at his tunic, keen to pull it free. He relented this time, helping her. The tunic came free, and he tossed it to the floor. It revealed his bare chest beneath as he reached towards her again, but this time, she wanted to be the one in control.