Deed Wife

Published by Mojocastle Press, LLC Price, Utah This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Deed Wife ISBN: 1-60180-004-5 Copyright © 2007 Terri Pray Cover Art Copyright @ 2007 S.L. Carpenter All rights reserved.

Excluding legitimate review sites and review publications, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Copying, scanning, uploading, selling and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without permission from the publisher is illegal, punishable by law and will be prosecuted. Available online at: http://www.mojocastle.com/

Also By Terri Pray: Enslaved By Blood

Dedication: To my Sam, thank you now and always.

Deed Wife

Terri Pray

Chapter One he winding road before her seemed to go on forever and narrowed only a few hundred yards away into a single, barely walkable, lane. Small bushes framed the sides with gorse and heather, mixing soft yellow with purple for a vivid display leading into the village. Tiny lights danced amongst the colorful flora in the form of sprites. Now, as she stood on the lane, the only sound came from the calls of the gulls and the delicate, almost bell-like sounds from the tiny fae. It was a mingled noise that echoed the mocking cries and cruel looks that had followed her through her long trip north. Marion hadn’t asked for this wedding, nor had she even been consulted on it. It didn’t matter that such arrangements were far from uncommon amongst families on either side of the mage-protected border, the thought of it being an established practice still failed to prevent the resentment from building within her. Her jaw clenched, her hands tightened into fists as she struggled not to let her breath out in a long hiss. Even then it didn’t prevent the emotions that nearly consumed her, as she stood alone on the wooden dock after the ferry set her down on the edge of the unfamiliar town. Without anyone present to escort Marion to her new home, she was left to curse the name of her

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Deed Wife already absent husband. Callum Jacobs, some husband he had already proved himself to be, with his lack of care for her safe arrival. She might as well have been a maid trying to find the way to her employer’s home for all the concern he had shown her. She’d seen him but a handful of times in the days prior to being told of her fate. Now Marion chided herself for the handful of smiles and soft blushes she had bestowed upon him. In doing so, she had brought this fate upon herself, making it seem as if she were willing to suffer under the hated touch of a Highlander. Or perhaps worse still that she had been attempting to flirt with the beast of a man. He had watched her closely in those few visits, his gaze intense, focused on her every move, but her fate appeared to have been settled in one small incident. She had stumbled in the garden at the back of her father’s house, her balance upset until she had fallen directly into his arms. His grip had tightened on her shaking form, holding her so firmly that she had been left fighting for breath, yet her body had melded against his. The grip—no matter how brazen or cruel, for it had been harsh enough to leave bruises on her pale arms—had left her shaken and clinging to him as if her life had depended on it. There had been no words of love, yet she still wondered what it would be like to be held in a more intimate way by the dark-eyed brute that had held her so close in those few moments. She had committed the ultimate sin in many ways, and now would pay the price for her mistaken 2

Terri Pray interest in the cruel and cold-hearted Highlander. No self-respecting Englishwoman would ever put herself willingly under the touch of such a creature. Not when every man with the will to fight back sought ways to be free of their arrogant, magic-wielding overlords. Had a day gone by since the final battle when a man of her own kind had not died trying to put things right once more? Would they ever return a true King to the throne so the payments of restitution would no longer be made? Even to talk of rebellion could bring death sweeping across a village or small town, and now many of Marion’s own age group had begun to believe the stories about their people. How lazy those of the low lands were, how treacherous, dangerous— and how much better they now fared under the law of the Highlands than they had ever done before. Even worse were the suggestions that those women claimed as brides or servants to the Clans numbered amongst the fortunate. That they had been chosen to help ease the sins of the past and in doing so, would find favor in the afterlife. The sacrifice of their young lives into a form of slavery was a just retribution for the villainous first-night price the English had levied at one point on the Highlanders, or so those of the Clans claimed. How could that have been possible, though, with the terrible powers the Highlanders were able to lay claim to? Not one man who had witnessed the last great battle had been able to speak of it without shuddering in horror at the memory of the demonspawn creatures called to fight along side the 3

Deed Wife Clansmen. And did they not have other such beasts at their beck and call? Even reading through the carefully scribed accounts of the battles had been enough to leave her shuddering through nightmares for a hundred nights and more. Those rare souls who met the demon beasts, the fae-born creatures who willingly aided the men and women of Scotland, turned pale at the memory of those meetings. Or at least they did for the most part. There had been rumors, whispers of other reactions by a few rare souls. Men and women who spoke in hushed voices of the desire to feel the touch of such a creature again. Their gazes took on a distant look, shudders moved through their bodies unbidden and what they did with their lives was something her father had never allowed to be spoken of under his roof. She had struggled to believe that such things existed as a child until she had felt that first tingle across her body and witnessed the magic of a trained Clansman. Now the sight of the small sprites, their multicolored bodies dancing amongst the flowers, their wings moving so quickly that they became little more than a blur of livid color to human eyes, was something she accepted. Not that it mattered. With their aid and the mage skills that had been taught to the men and women of the Highlands, the debts of old were now to be repaid to the Clans of Scotland. And now Callum had demanded his own payment for the wrongs done to his people in the form of Marion. No, it didn’t matter 4

Terri Pray what it was that had caught his eyes about Marion Fisher, she, like many others before her, now would pay the price of a Deed Wife. Deed Wife, the very thought of it made her skin crawl. No matter that his gaze had held a dark promise that gave life to questions she could not voice. She was nothing more than a way of seeking revenge for the past, a warm and unwilling body to sate his desires upon. He didn’t care for her, that much he had made clear with his lack of presence at the landing. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she glanced around once more. He hadn’t even left word of how she was to make her way to her new home. What sort of man was he? The lack of tartan marked her low status north of the border, allowing unspoken accusations to follow her path through into the village. The stares added to her growing nerves, and she eventually asked for directions from the only man that would acknowledge her existence with anything more than a look that spoke of cold hatred. “Why would a lass, even a Sassenach like ye, be wanting to go to the Jacob’s place? Will be cold comfort ye will be finding there. He’s nae a man that welcomes visitors unless it suits his purpose.” The man’s eyes traced the line of her breasts, lingering on her brief expanse of cleavage that remained exposed to his view. Here Marion’s accent doubly marked her as a target, and she had rapidly become something to be pitied this far into the Highlands. In the fifty long years since His Highness, the 5

Deed Wife Bonnie Prince, had defeated the English, this was how it had become. The blatant look summed up the reasons no woman born south of the border traveled north unless she had no other choice. She tensed before she felt the first touch of the magic; its caress left her flesh tingling. A play of power used to tug at her bodice, daring her to protest. Not enough of a pull to bare her breasts fully to his view, yet just enough to send a wash of heat through her cheeks. “I’ve been summoned, Good Sir, if it please you.” It was always better to be humble when speaking to a Highlander, and that was a lesson she had learned from childhood. Don’t talk back to them, don’t meet their gaze with anything less than a humble look unless you wanted to find out just what it was like to anger one with the ancient magic in their blood. A brief curtsey allowed the man a longer look between her breasts and perhaps distracting him from harsher words. A small price, and one she had learned to pay without taking visible offense. If he wanted to see them fully, all he had to do was tug down on the material, either with his fingers or the power she still felt caressing her skin. It had always been that way for her. Ever since she could recall. There only had to be the briefest hint of a human using magic in the air and she knew about it, the sensations a mix between being tickled and her skin being brushed with needles. Everyone could feel it, or so she had believed for a very long time, and now… “Ah, then ye would be the Deed Bride then, I’m 6

Terri Pray thinking. I wondered when he would call for one of ye kind to warm his bed. He’s been a man long grown these past few years and needs a place to nestle his desires.” The stranger’s eyes narrowed as she nodded softly and kept the annoyance from touching her face, though she failed to prevent the blush his words also triggered. A place to nestle his desires indeed. What did this man think she was? “Well, he’ll be getting his worth from ye, lass, nae doubt there. Take the north road, ye have a two mile walk ahead o’ ye.” Two miles wouldn’t have been so far if she hadn’t already been tired from the trip. Still, there seemed little point in complaining about it. Words would not garner pity, nor lessen the distance she had to now walk. “The north road, Sir? Thank you.” She offered a quick bob of thanks, her full skirts brushing over the ground with a whisper of material. At least her father had seen the sense of teaching her which way was north. Not a skill most women of her breeding learned to use. Then again, her father was an odd one by anyone’s standards. “Aye, the north road. Keep on it ‘til ye see the carved stone at the crossroads. Turn left. Ye can walk that far, can’t ye, lass?” His gaze hardened on the young woman, watching her for possible signs of complaint. The brush of magic vanished as he continued to speak. “Or are ye one of them lazy wenches trying to avoid a just marriage by any means ye can think of? Think I’d be taking pity on ye, maybe?” “No, Sir, not lazy, and I can manage the walk.” His 7

Deed Wife gaze didn’t move away from Marion’s cleavage, leaving her skin crawling as if he stripped away the cloth to touch them with his coarse hands. The feeling grew as she watched his fingers twitch towards the dangling laces of her bodice. It wouldn’t have taken much; a simple tug on the laces and the bodice would have loosened, baring the full upper curves of her breasts to his view. “I’ve been taught to work hard so as not to be displeasing, Sir.” Either pull the damn things or leave them alone. I’ve no time for your fun and games today. How she kept the annoyance from showing across her features, she never knew. Her stomach knotted, a pressure building up in the back of her throat, words trapped there that begged to be released, yet she managed to hold on to them despite the growing discomfort. At least she had, as yet, given him no reason to punish her. She’d already given him just enough of an opening to chide her for being lazy. Any more and it could well have led to a public beating. She had always been taught that the Highlanders worked three times harder than her own people ever could. Honor and courage had been bred into their very bones. They were, by all accounts, a hundred times better than the cowardly English. Yet that didn’t stop them from seeking more intimate vengeance whenever offered the chance. Retribution, her father had called it. Marion shook her head, frowning. How many women had been taken from their husbands on their wedding nights? Some never to return, or so the stories went. The executions, the rebellions, problems that had spread 8

Terri Pray out across the land when the men of the Clans had protested just what had been done to the men and women they called family, then the uprisings had begun, only to be squashed before they could gain a long-term foothold. By the time the Bonnie Prince had led the Clans to their victory, several hundred years of hurt against the brave people of Scotland had accumulated. Marion’s life here would not be easy, and she had no desire to encourage the man to take such actions against her. She didn’t doubt that none would come to her defense, should he decide to seek more than a brief glance down her bodice. “Off with ye then, don’t want to be keeping ye Man waiting.” He gestured towards the waiting road. “Thank you, Good Sir, for your kindness in answering my question.” She murmured, forcing her gaze low even as she took a step back from him. He didn’t bother replying, leaving her to face the walk through the town to her husband alone. Husband? Who was she trying to fool? No husband would he be to her. A master would be nearer the truth of the situation. With no choice in becoming his wife, and no rights save those he might grant her, she had become little more than property. No matter the crimes of her race, Marion couldn’t help believing that no one deserved that, least of all a girl born thirty and two years after the great battle.

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Deed Wife

Chapter Two blisters burned her heels with each step, Fresh adding pain to the growing anger her enforced trip north had caused to fester within her. The fury ate away at any joy the flowers might otherwise have offered as she limped her way along the narrow lane. The very least he could have done was to have met her from the ferry. Even cattle were escorted to a new owner. Instead he seemed to expect Marion to meekly deliver herself into the care of a stranger. What else would he expect of her? Not for the first time in her scant years, Marion wished that she had been born a man. At least then the option of leaving the Isles might have been a realistic one. A woman seeking passage alone would be more likely to end up sold to some brothel, or worse. “What did we do that was so wrong?” Her words caught on the breeze, answered only by bird song. She knew the answer; it had been drummed into her as long as she could remember. The English had tried to lay claim to a land and a people they had no right to control, they had stolen, used and abused and that would no longer be permitted. Now all that mattered was not keeping her husband waiting any longer than he had to. Lights beckoned from the next raise as she took the 10

Terri Pray left-hand path at the crossroads, either from a candle, oil lamp or perhaps a mage ball left in the window to light the way. At least there might be a fire, even some hot tea if she was lucky. It was the rest of what might be waiting for Marion that caused her concern. Would he at least wait until a preacher could speak the vows before demanding the rights of a husband from her body? Marion hoped he would be that patient, or did he want to practice some strange binding ritual, as rumors spoke of back home? Would there be any vows at all? Not that they were needed, according to the custom of Deed Wife. She had become his from the moment he had sent for her. There was nowhere to run, and no one would offer her shelter if she even dared to try it. Caught, she could be flogged and then returned to her husband, as was his right. If lucky, he would keep her, if not, she might be sold to a brothel, bound there by spells and chains alike until she died from the harsh use such women endured. Her small hand settled on the wooden gate, only then giving her the chance to see the trembling that traveled down her limbs. Fear ruled Marion’s heart and threatened to send her running from the gate in search of a shelter that she knew didn’t exist. Still, her terror gave life to desperate thoughts of swimming the lake, even though the icy water would mean her death, and other equally foolish plans that now flashed through her mind. “I won’t let him see my fear.” She whispered an 11

Deed Wife oath sworn to the breeze and burned into her own heart. If she could keep nothing else as her own, it would be her emotions. The gate closed behind Marion—the soft click locking her fate even as the door to the stone cottage opened. “Ye took ye own sweet time in getting here, Lass.” A pair of coal dark eyes scowled from the kilted figure in the shadows of the doorway. “Perhaps a touch of leather against ye back will remind ye nae to be so lazy in coming days. I’ll nae tolerate such from ye again, mind ye mark that well.” Her hands clenched into small fists, eyes blazing for a moment before she fought back the anger that could push her even further into trouble. “With respect, Sir, the ferry was delayed. I didn’t dally, but did have to ask directions to find my way here. I had no way of finding myself to your door without stopping to ask for help.” His massively built form stepped out from the doorway. He was easily a foot and a half taller than Marion, with dark eyes and raven, unruly, shoulderlength hair. He possessed a build that spoke of heavy labor and his hands showed the signs of the hard work that he put in every day. Callum Jacobs embodied everything she had been taught to fear in Clansmen. He was exactly how she recalled, but worse still, her body clenched under her skirts as she lowered her gaze almost shyly under his eyes. “And I suppose ye think I should be accepting ye petty excuse?” His large arms folded across his chest, 12

Terri Pray his words raising the hairs on the back of her neck. “Expecting to be pampered, are ye? Well, ye will nae find such here. I would have thought that ye father would have better prepared ye before ye journey.” “It’s not an excuse…” The words darted from her lips before she could prevent them, the shy gaze vanishing. Her breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed the dark rage flash across his face. “I beg pardon, it has been a long journey and I forget my place. I didn’t mean to make excuses, Sir.” A cold sweat formed in beads across her skin and her slender fingers tangled into the edges of her shawl whilst Marion waited for him to either lash out or grow calm. Her breath quickened as she became aware of his gaze following the neckline of her dress. Not for the first time, Marion wished her father had allowed a new dress to be made before the trip, one less revealing, but the funds had not been there. Or at least they hadn’t for a girl sent northward. “Mind ye manners with me, lass, I’ll not be allowing ye low land ways up here. Now get in there, I’ll be wanting to take a good look at what’s mine in a while.” He nodded, and his tone remained as unyielding as his gaze before he turned and walked back into the cottage. “Come along inside, my lass.” It might have been better if he had simply lashed out, at least that was something she was used to coping with. Arguments formed and died on her lips as quick steps carried her down the narrow path into the low-lit cottage. Even with the lamps, it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the difference in light once the door closed behind them both. 13

Deed Wife A large fire crackled in the hearth, sparks flying upwards with the draught from the closing door. Three lamps offered light within the main room, from which two doors led off, one on each side of the central room. Well worn but sturdy furniture with a few rugs and blankets added a homely feeling to the cottage that somehow felt out of place to her. “Didn’t bring much with ye, did ye, lass?” His eyes bored through her clothing, leaving her skin itching. “Does ye kin think I will fit ye out? Typical of ye kind.” “No, Sir. My father didn’t see the point in sending anything with me, except a few basics. There’s a small chest in the village, should you wish to send for it.” Her hands clasped tightly together. “I’d have brought it with me, but the Ferry Captain refused to release it to my care without your say so.” “Ye didnae expect him to let a girl like ye touch something that belongs to me now, did ye?” Callum shook his head. “Ye a stupid wench. I can see I have a lot to teach ye. Shouldn’t be surprised, it’s what I get for taking a low land woman into my house when I could have taken on a decent Highland lass who knows how to keep a home. And ye will learn fast, or pay the price.” Marion’s fingers clenched into her own skirts with her rising frustration. Did he think she was lacking in sense? “I’m not stupid, Sir. I carried the chest with me right up until getting on the ferry. Why would I harm the contents now? Just because I am English?” He moved faster than she would have given him credit for. Large hands grasped her arms and pulled 14

Terri Pray her forward. The shawl was torn from her shoulders and a cry slipped from her lips as panic claimed her heart. “Let go of me!” Oh, Lord, what did I just do? “Making demands of me now, are ye, wench?” His grip tightened painfully. “Ye will learn fast, I make the rules here. If I say ye are a stupid low land wench, then ye are a stupid low land wench. Just like all of ye kind.” She wanted to fight, scream, lash out at him, but the years of teachings drummed into her sapped away at her resolve. You didn’t attack the Highlanders; you didn’t add to the crimes of the past, anything they said to you was something you deserved. It just wasn’t part of life, no matter how much an element of her wanted to strike out at his face, claw the eyes from his very head. A part that warred with the softer need to feel his hands on her skin. “I’m sorry…I…I’m just tired from the trip, I wasn’t thinking. Please forgive me, Sir, it will not happen again.” “Ye best learn to think around me, wench. Speaking out of turn and trying to anger me is not a wise idea at all.” His grip didn’t loosen as he shook Marion hard. “I’ll not tolerate any of your stupidity here. Next time you answer me back, you’ll taste my belt. Is that clear?” Marion nodded, tears in her eyes as she fought to hide her fear. Was this how her life with Callum was going to be? Nothing but humiliation and shame? “Good.” The grip loosened at last, setting her back down fully on the floor. “Ye will find the bed through 15

Deed Wife there.” Callum nodded towards the nearest door. “Go wash and rest, been a long trip, nae point in discussing things any further tonight. Go on, get out of my sight for now. I’m nae pleased with ye, and didnae want to be looking at ye right now.” The fear rose as Marion looked towards the door. What would he do for her? “Sir, won’t you want to wait until the priest…I mean…” The words caught in her throat. “Contract has been signed with ye father, girl, ye my Deed Wife. We don’t hold with giving ye kind airs and graces by ceremonies. Ye’ll be thinking ye a real mate to me instead of payment bride. Still, ye all I have for now, so get ye arse into that room. Ye will learn nae to question me, girl, I’ve nae tolerance for such games as that from women of your status.” His eyes darkened in warning and that was enough to send her stumbling for the room, blinking back tears that threatened to spill down her already pale cheeks. Yet even with the fear and doubts that now clouded her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder what his touch would be like. Would the strength she had felt during the tumble in the garden show through, or a gentler nature take control? No matter what happened, she would have to bear it with all the courage that she knew existed in her heart. How long had she been waiting in the near darkness for him to enter? An hour? It could it have been more, or maybe far less for all she knew. Marion had no real way of knowing, 16

Terri Pray lacking both lamp and any form of timekeeping. Using the small pitcher of water and plain pottery washbowl, she’d cleaned some of the grime of the journey from her skin, more as a way to try and calm the rising fears than anything else. Now she was left to fight those same fears that tinged her emotions, only to feel them grow with each fresh creak of the wooden floor beyond the closed door. Why was he making her wait, unless this was part of their cruel ways? How much did she or any other beyond the border know of the men of Scotland? It was all just whispered rumor or broken tales carried back by the few that escaped their duty. Her mother. How she missed that gentle-spirited woman. Her death was still far too fresh a wound for Marion to bear. But Marion could recall that the older woman had spoken in a mix of horror and awe of the Clansmen, passing on the rumors to her daughter, who added them to ones the local girls had told her as she had grown up. The fierce and dark Highlanders, that’s what the rumors claimed them to be, and how they never cared for what their Deed Wives or servants felt. Why would they care about the spawn of the evil English? Cunning Highlanders, bold, brazen, fae-touched beings who had defeated their long time enemy, and now were simply taking what was rightfully theirs by conquest. The sprites she had seen on the path were but a drop in the ocean of the magical creatures that now freely walked the lands, and with their arrival had come a change in the world that unleashed 17

Deed Wife horrors in the manner of deed wives, contracts and indentured servants. Cannon fodder should a Clan war erupt, as each Clan held claim to a section of England and the people within it. Whatever her people had done, Marion could not accept that they deserved this kind of treatment, yet she had grown up hearing how this was justice and a payment for the past wrongs; how she and everyone else her age should meekly accept their fate. Some did far more than accept it. They relished it, even finding ways to work alongside those of the Highlands. A rare few even gained entrance into the Clans, though Marion had never been told just how that came about. Some form of dark magic or blood pack? Blood witches, rogue wizards, men and women who corrupted the magic to their own desires and turned the world upside down in their hunger to control everything in their wake. Terrible stories of horrendous sacrifices had been spoken of in hushed whispers south of the border. The sort of things that they tried not to tell women of her age. Did they think she was too innocent to be told of such things? Bah, they spoke of the stories to men of her age, but not the women. Silly, really. So very silly indeed. She had just as much courage and sense as the men of her age range, but tradition said women needed to be protected from stories of dark power. There were stories of men and women of her kind who would all but sell themselves into slavery in the hope they would be given a touch of power. Worse 18

Terri Pray still were tales of those who had been shown how to use the magic; the gateway opened up for them as if they were born of the Clans. No, those rumors had gone too far. Even with the magic they now laid claim to, they would not have welcomed an English man or woman into their homes in such a manner unless they could use magic to bind the chosen being to a devoted service. It might have been possible; even her single journey into the north had granted Marion a glimpse or two at their heathen past and the bonds they now shared with the fae creatures, the magic that had been brought back to life in their blood. She thought back over the trip and what she had seen on her journey north. All the stone circles, cairns, markers carved with knotwork, and more than a few had what looked like offerings being left on a regular basis. A foolish woman, that’s what they’d called her when Marion had dared to ask about them. The flowers and garlands, simple marks of respect for the dead, offerings of honor and respect, and the knotwork just part of the history of the Clans. They had nothing to do with the magic of the Clans, or the rumors her people had lived with for well past a quarter of a century now. So why had she felt a cold hand move down her spine on seeing them? Did they offer an answer to the power that the Clans held? Did they offer a hint to how the magic had been summoned, or how the power could be used against her people? She had no way of knowing 19

Deed Wife right now, and only time would tell if she discovered just how the powers answered to their beck and call. Perhaps they showed the way to walk between the world of man and the world of the fae to those worthy enough to see the answer. Or was it just that same spark of something within her being that let her sense the magic? Why am I the only one who can feel it? Her teeth caught in her bottom lip as her gaze moved back towards the door. What was he waiting for now? A little longer, just to see if she would panic and run? Or go crawling to him, in order to prove she knew her place within his household? Her nerves ate at the pit of her stomach until she could stand it no longer. She swung her feet back out onto the floor and gave up her attempt to pretend to wait patiently for him. Marion paced slowly across the small room, eyes constantly moving back towards the only door. Yet as the time passed, he still didn’t appear. Her hand closed on the door, her shoulders tensing as she started to slowly tug it open, freezing as a sound reached her ears. Loud, rolling snores interspaced with soft grunts filled the air. He was snoring. That arrogant bastard had the nerve to be asleep after putting the fear of God into her. How dare he treat me in such a manner! I’m human, I have feelings, and he just left me in here waiting for him to turn up without having the decency to let me know he’d be sleeping in another room! 20

Terri Pray For a moment, she didn’t know whether to scream in anger or be thankful for the respite his sleep offered. Any break from the horror of him wanting to share a bed with her had to be a blessing. Marion let her gaze wander over the sleeping form in the chair next to the fire once she moved past the door. Asleep, he didn’t look quite so terrifying. The scowl had faded from his face, taking the edge from his appearance, and at last she could get a decent look at him without fear of his reaction. High cheekbones, long dark hair and full lips. Even to Marion, he had a sensual quality. Her arms, remembering the strength of his grip, now couldn’t help but tingle at the thought of softer touches, or even the same strong ones that she had enjoyed such a brief experience of. Would it really be so bad being his wife? He would care for her, treat her with an odd sort of respect once he learned how she truly was. Then things would change. He would regret how he had treated her in this first day. For a moment she could almost see it, the way things would be, before reality came crashing down about her shoulders with a loud and very messy clunk. “Stupid woman. You won’t be his real wife; he’s made that clear. You’re just a Deed Wife, property. Nothing more.” Marion hissed the truth at herself and shut the door as quietly as her anger would permit. How could she even think about looking forward to his touch? There had to be something wrong with her. He was a brute, a man who would use her for any 21

Deed Wife means he so wished, and there was nothing she could do to prevent that. The law wouldn’t help her; even her parents would return her into his care if she somehow made it back home. Despite all their cries for freedom, he, like so many others of the Clans, had taken her as a piece of property, and that was not something she could ever dare permit herself to enjoy. She dropped down onto the waiting bed; one she now knew she would sleep in alone, her teeth grinding with the growing annoyance at his attitude. Without seeming to care, or perhaps even realize what he was doing, he had pushed her from fear to anger to annoyance and a trace of regret without even speaking to her of his plans for the night. Bastard. Yet her body tingled at the thought of his touch. Would he hold her gently? Or force her into passions she had no control over? Gods, what was she thinking of? He was her Master in all but name, a creature that might well have powers that left her people quaking in fear, yet she couldn’t help but recall the brief touch, the way he had looked at her before he had called her to service, those small things that had tempted the sleeping woman buried within her body. No, she didn’t need this. She had other things to deal with way beyond the problems of a Highland man potentially sharing her bed. A whole new set of rules to learn, his ways, his likes and dislikes, such things took time and she would have so very little of that to spare. 22

Terri Pray Sleep would help; she’d need the rest to face whatever he threw at her in the morning.

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Deed Wife

Chapter Three ight filtered in through the small window, dappling patterns across the bed to warm the smooth wooden floor. The soft scent of heather teased at her nose, mixing with the warmth of the morning sun to help ease her from sleep. For a moment the aches of the trip—and the very reason she woke in a strange room—escaped her memory. It was a respite that allowed Marion to relax in the almost gentle surroundings. Blankets of carefully spun wool tangled in her leg and her eyes blinked the crusted sleep away from her lashes, allowing her to look about the room. In the new light of the day, the room lost all hints at being a potential cell; with clean rushes on the floor and aired blankets, it almost felt welcoming. Now the sounds of life beyond the bedroom drifted in from the main room through the still-closed door. The songs of the birds mingled with the murmur of the wind playing through the long grass and heather beyond the window and the sounds of footsteps beyond the door. Marion blinked, staring at the closed door that had separated her from the rest of the small cottage; a door that had not been moved the entire night despite the fears she had lived with during her dreams. Just closing her eyes again would have brought those

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Terri Pray terrible images of his dark form entering the room, stripping away her bedclothes so he could claim her virgin body as his property back to life. Those same images had left her shaking in terror, and looking towards the door with a mixture of hope and fear that made no sense to the young woman. How could she possibly want his touch? Just a way of dealing with the situation, that’s all. Once he’s tasted me, then it will be over and he’ll seek his pleasures elsewhere. Her gaze narrowed fully on the door. Odd, despite his harsh ways, he’d still left her alone for the entire night. She should have been grateful, but the sense of disappointment grew all too quickly. Perhaps she was truly just another stupid slut that needed nothing more than a man between her thighs. Not just any man, but the man that had demanded her as his bride without thought for what she might have wanted in life. Why did she waste her time dwelling on things she could not change? The wood felt pleasantly warm under bare feet and at least brought a soft smile to her lips as Marion took a moment to tidy her hair into a low-bound braid. There seemed little point in pulling on the woolen stockings from the day before. Just a quick look at them confirmed that they needed washing, even repairing after the trip, and it would do her feet good to breathe. The blisters on her feet called out in search of much needed attention from both heel and sore spots around her toes; the ones on the pads of both feet 25

Deed Wife would make walking painful for a day or so to come. Their presence didn’t surprise her, as the journey to meet Callum had been a long one by anyone’s standards. If she had the chance, maybe she would be able to soak them. There had to be something she could use to ease the pain in her feet. Even a bowl of warm water would help take the edge off it, but it would all depend on what he wanted from her this day. Callum. Would he be waiting for her in the next room or have left on some business? What was it he did? Her father hadn’t seen fit to inform her, not that his business mattered to her, but it would at least help her begin to understand the man she was now bound to. She vaguely recalled conversations between the two men than had revolved around trading, but those had been ended almost as soon as she had walked into the room. A pity; if she knew more about him, then her life might promise to be a little easier, and perhaps that knowledge would even give her a chance to avoid possible punishments from him in future times. Would he punish her if she did something wrong? Did he have the strength to pull her over his knee and turn her backside red under the firm swats from his callous-marked hand? More than a part of her cried out that yes, he would, without hesitation, and already Marion knew that she would be better off accepting that then testing the limits. Lingering in the bedroom wondering about her 26

Terri Pray new found man would not do any good, and she could not hide away for the rest of the day, no matter how much a part of her wanted to do just that. In bare feet, she edged over towards the closed door. Putting her shoes on no longer appeared to be an option, at least until her feet had partially recovered from the amount of walking she had been forced to do in order to arrive in one piece. What she wouldn’t have given in order to have just a touch of magic at hand. Something that would help ease the fire that burned along her soles, and up her tight calves. It might be several days before her aching feet and legs finally forgave her for the hardship of the trip. Still, she had managed it and arrived in one piece, what more could she ask for? A considerate man waiting for her? Well, there was always that, but she didn’t live in land ruled by dreams. The door creaked softly as she pushed it open, peering into the room she recalled from the previous night. A fire still burned in the hearth, but the chair before it now lacked the sleeping Callum. Not that she had really expected him to still be sat in front of the flames. “So ye finally dragged ye lazy arse up from bed, have ye?” His voice beckoned her to turn towards the far corner of the room, the harsh tone almost expected after the way she had been greeted the day before. “I was beginning to think I’d have to come in and pull ye out of the blankets myself if I wanted to see any sign of ye before the noon hour.” All thoughts of the apparent kindness he had 27

Deed Wife shown by leaving her to sleep undisturbed through the night now fled from her mind. He was nothing but a bully, and she wouldn’t allow herself to be fooled again. “I must have been tired from the trip…” she began to explain. “That ye are a lazy bitch would be more like. Get the water on for a pot of tea, and you’ll need to get started on breakfast, or are ye expecting me to wait on ye?” The words growled through the room and sent her scurrying towards the small open kitchen on the far side of the main room. Lord, didn’t he care that she had traveled almost the length of the two countries in order to reach him? Alone, without escort, reduced to walking much of the time and certainly forced to do that once she had reached the border. What carriage would have carried a woman with her accent? The only reason they had let her on the ferry had been because Callum had left instructions with the Captain to let her board. Bastards. They wouldn’t have let a Highland woman endure such hardships. All right, maybe that wasn’t entirely fair. Even those of the Clans did not always have access to horses. Some had to walk, she just found it hard to believe they would have been forced to walk as far as she had. Not since the gift of the fae magic. Marion glanced around the room, taking care not to look directly at Callum as she moved through the cottage into the kitchen area. Some things didn’t make sense. How could Callum be rich enough, powerful enough, to be able to claim a Deed Wife, yet live in 28

Terri Pray such a small place? Had he been able to claim her through a debt a better man had owed him? It was one possibility, but it didn’t sit well with the way she had seen her father treat Callum. There hadn’t just been the respect owed to a man of the Clans, but something far more. No, there was a piece to the puzzle that she had yet to discover. Her hands pulled a small kettle from over the kitchen stove and Marion looked around for more than a few moments before her memory recalled the hand pump in front of the house. At least escaping outside in search of fresh water would grant her a short time without his eyes burning into her back. Better the pump than an open well or brook, as so many had to make do with. The idea of walking any great distance set her feet alive with fresh flames dancing along her tender soles. Marion tried to keep the distaste at the work from her face as she grabbed for a clean bucket. There seemed little point in grabbing just enough water for his tea, when more would be needed soon. He’d keep her busy through the day unless she found small chores to do. Deed Wife, it was just another name for slave, servant or workhorse. Perhaps she’d be one of the lucky ones, and he would only want to have her work on household things. He might have a proper wife in mind, and some of the Highland women would not take kindly to their man sharing a bed with a mere Deed Wife. If that were a part of his plans, then Marion would have to dodge the words and possible blows of a woman 29

Deed Wife who might see her as nothing more than a whore. It wouldn’t matter if he demanded she lift her skirts for him or not, she’d still be marked as the other woman to his real wife. Yet the small house, showing no signs of another woman, encouraged her to dismiss the idea. A slight smile touched her lips; at least she would be spared the humiliation of a displaced wife sharing the small cottage. A large hand slapped against her ass as she hurried back into the house with the now full bucket. The sharp contact sent her stumbling forward with a low cry and knocked the bucket from her hand, sending it skidding across the floor, scattering the water in its wake. Heat radiated out from her stinging buttocks. It flooded across her body only to then delve between her thighs, leaving her trembling as she pushed up onto her hands and knees in the middle of the fresh pool of water. “Stupid bitch, ye got water everywhere!” The same hand grasped the back of her waistband and yanked her back up to her feet. “Get this cleaned up at once.” “I wouldn’t have spilt it if you hadn’t hit me.” The protest danced from her lips. “How can you think to yell at me when this is all your fault?” She struggled in the tight grip that held her firmly on her feet. Her skirts were soaked through from the water and now clung to her thighs, cooling her ardor quickly. “Are you insane?” “I might well become so if ye call me that again. Are ye telling me that a low land woman cannae handle a friendly tap? Are ye really all that weak?” 30

Terri Pray He gave the trapped Marion a good hard shake. “What type of woman do I have in my grasp? Do I have a child that needs to learn how to handle the touch of a man, or a woman who might be able to understand what lies ahead of her?” Marion stared into those dark eyes her anger raging freely at his words. “Friendly tap? You hit me, damn it, you spanked me! And for no good cause. What had I done to deserve that from you? I’ve been trying to do what you want, and now look what you’ve made me do.” She gestured to the spilt water still decorating the floor, though it seeped into the dirt in places even as she spoke. “Nae, lass, I gave ye a wee tap, but I’ll be altering that now, seeing as ye didnae seem to know the difference.” His grip remained tight on her clothes and he half pulled, half dragged her across the room towards the chair in front of the fire. “What!” Marion kicked, trying to get free of his grip, only to find herself pulled across his lap. One hand pinned her in place whilst the other grasped the ends of her skirts, flipping them upwards. “Oh, you can’t do this to me, I’ve done nothing wrong. Please, Sir, don’t do this to me!” “I can, and I will. Now, lassie, I think just a quick lesson in the difference between a tap and a spanking should do the trick. If I mean to spank ye, I will, and a friendly tap is just that, a friendly tap.” His hand rested on her bare buttocks, tracing the curve of her taut skin as he spoke. “I wouldn’t want you to become confused between the two in future. It might cause a few problems between us that I am loathe to 31

Deed Wife deal with when there is such a simple way of clearing the problem up.” The crack sounded out through the room, tearing a cry from her lips as she arched and struggled in his grip. Pain followed a fire that burned a path across her upturned ass from the first step in her lesson. Crack! A second blow almost knocked the breath from her body as she howled in pain, her feet kicking against the floor as her hands clawed at his leg in a desperate attempt to break free. “Quit ye struggling, wench. Ye will only make it harder on yeself,” he growled even as a new blow sounded out against her upturned ass. But his words only encouraged Marion to fight even more, the wool of the kilt now catching on her rough nails as the third blow resounded through the room. Callum hissed in pain, slapping down hard against her ass cheeks. “Enough of that.” Lord, he’s beating on me and he expects me to just lay here and take it? What sort of monster is he? “Keep ye nails to yeself, little hell cat, or I’ll be binding ye wrists in place. Just see how you like that option.” Right. He doesn’t want me to scratch him. See how he likes this instead. Her teeth latched into his calf, sinking deep before her good sense could scream a loud enough protest to prevent it. His yell turned into a growl; one hand grabbed her hair and yanked Marion from his lap to toss her onto the still wet floor. “Ye just went too far, girl. I’ll nae take that from a woman, let alone one of your kind.” 32

Terri Pray Eyes darker than night held her gaze, a single stride carried him across to where she lay sprawled on the wood. A small trickle of blood tracing its way through the maze of thick hairs on his leg caught her attention as Marion tried to scramble back across the floor. “I didn’t mean to…” The lie slipped easily from her lips, only to be silenced by a grip that tangled into her hair and tugged her up from the floor as he turned to stride towards the bedroom door. The pain lanced through her scalp into her body, tightening her nipples and turning her inner walls liquid with a need she had no name for. How such a thing could have left her craving his touch she had no idea, and lacked the moment to question it. His swift kick knocked the door open, the grip on her hair tightening as she was dragged into the room that had appeared so peaceful earlier that morning. With his grip firm in her hair, Marion’s bare feet seldom touched the floor in the brief journey into the bedroom. “Ye will be learning ye place with me and doing that now, before ye think I am some weak-willed man willing to let a woman walk all over him. I’ve never believed in a lass ruling a home, and ‘tis time ye found out just where the lines are drawn,” He snarled in her ear before tossing her towards the bed. Her skirts flew upwards as her own hair tangled about her face. Chestnut strands caught in her eyelashes and left her half-choking on her own hair. Fabric ripped under his hands as they tore at her simple bodice, the sound only serving to spur her to 33

Deed Wife fight back once more against his strength. “Let me go, you can’t do this.” The words offered him a futile protest, yet she couldn’t just let him tug her clothing apart without saying something. “Ye my Deed Wife, and I can be taking ye as such, lass. Perhaps a quick lesson in who runs this household will settle ye in place.” One large hand circled her wrists to pin them above her head, as his lips tasted her neck. Lie still, she silently hissed at herself. Be still and he’ll be done faster with you. Fighting him will only make matters worse. And he might even enjoy it more. All she had to do was hold on for a few moments; endure some grunting with a little pain, and it would all be over with. So why didn’t she believe that? A rough hand moved down from her neck, his lips sucking lightly on the hollow following the path of his hand towards her exposed breasts. He cupped her firm flesh easily as his lips claimed a hardened nipple. Her muscles tensed from the combined shock of his actions, and her own reaction as a soft shiver ran through her body. Heat built between her thighs as she struggled not to press closer to him. This was wrong, how could she even think of enjoying his touches? He’d made it all too clear what he thought of her, and other women like her. His low growl rumbled through her breast, his tongue teasing over her nipple, suckling insistently as the sound vibrated through her flesh. His fingers kneaded her breast, but the knee that pressed between her thighs only sparked off fresh struggles 34

Terri Pray that left her wanting to meld against his hardening body. Marion’s mind rebelled, demanding her freedom, but her hips surged up against him for a brief moment before she tried to kick free. She snarled under her breath, her hands clenched, and tried to yank free from his grip as she twisted under Callum with growing desperation. Fear mixed with the knots in her stomach, and she knew that his strength made escape unlikely at best. “Be a lot easier on ye if ye relax, lass.” The words vibrated around her nipple, her skin shivering with the unfamiliar sensations. She arched softly when his hand pressed between her thighs and cupped at her most intimate flesh to slip a probing finger through damp curls and brush against previously untouched nether lips. “Or perhaps ye like the struggle, the thought of a little pain with ye pleasure?” “I don’t…” The words were little more than a gasp. “Ye do, lassie, just listen to ye own body. Ye like any woman, give them a strong hand and their body craves the rest.” Mocking laughter touched his words, turning the flame under her boiling emotions even higher. “Ye’ll come to accept this, even like it some. It’s part of the nature of things. I prefer my women willing, but unwilling works fine if ye going to be a stubborn lass about such things. Besides, if it turns out ye like the hard touches, the firm control and a man willing to put ye in ye place, so much the better. I have a liking for such things.” Fear gripped her mind. What did he mean? Hard touches? 35

Deed Wife Firm control? Did he mean pain, or something else? His mouth silenced any further protest, a warm tongue not her own finding its way into her mouth. Teasing, tasting, dancing between her lips and pushing her resistance further from memory. Endless pools that were his eyes gained new life, meeting her own and held them, stubbornly refusing to allow Marion to flee behind the safe darkness of closed lids or look away towards a wall in an attempt to shut out what happened between them. Not right, it’s not right, she wanted to scream at him, but the words were held fast behind a growing need combined with the kisses that left small fires in their wake. Fingers that had once pinned her hands now found their way trailing from her breast. His growing pressure teased between her thighs until his weight was no longer so frightening. An unexpected brush against tender flesh sent waves through her hips, arching them against Callum as her eyes widened in shock. “No…I don’t…oh.” The fabric of her skirts bunched about her waist and tangled with his kilt. Wool rubbed against her thighs, his fingers pressing, teasing, rubbing softly at first, only to play demands upon her body. “Yes, my wife. Ye body knows all ye have to do is just let ye mind accept it.” Threats had been replaced by gentle coaxing, fingers and lips fanning the growing heat within her body. A desire previously unknown to Marion now betrayed her despite her apparent protests. 36

Terri Pray “Enjoy it,’ he whispered, and the small voice at the back of her mind added its own murmured but treacherous suggestions to her now willing body. Shock raced through her hips, sending them to press upwards against his firm body as he sought shelter between her thighs. He pushed gently into her clenching walls, his lips claiming her mouth, stifling the cry as he pressed deeper. His tongue demanded entrance between her lips as he pushed further between Marion’s trembling thighs. Without any more words his hips rocked slowly, easing his build within her body and pressed gently, allowing her a moment to become used to his presence. Pain faded with the gentle pressure that built with each firm rock. Lips released hers and sought lower, claiming a taut nipple, his fingers rubbing the free nub as he rolled it between strong digits. “Relax, lass, relax and move with me, nae, against me. It will make it better for ye this time.” Heated words brushed over her skin, adding to her confusion. Sweat beaded across her top lip, her fingers clenched at his arms, her eyes still held firm by his even as her hips began to rock willingly with his own. Shame colored her face with the strength of her grip, her nails dug into his skin and her own legs moved to wrap about his hips. “Please,” she whimpered. “Please what, lass?” Lips touched her neck softly, moving across her collarbone and down her shoulders. “Do ye want to enjoy? Then just let ye body do that work, stop ye mind from fighting 37

Deed Wife against me.” Fighting? Her mind was long past doing that as her body melded against his. She now rocked softly under him, fingers and thighs clenched willingly, head tipped back as her own soft brown curls tangled on the pillow. A need she did not understand but could not deny now ruled her body. Soft cries torn from lips, her breath ragged. Focus became lost to confusion, skin slick with sweat, rocking, pressing, the cry hoarse matched by one of his own. He pushed higher, further, until darkness claimed her mind with a scream she had no name for.

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Terri Pray

Chapter Four

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onfusion ruled her dreams; fear, need and uncertainty rolled into one. Soft touches merged with harsh slaps against her curved buttocks. Her willing body became an eager one, and a weight not her own pressed down and within her tight confines. Blankets tangled in her legs, a whimper escaping her sleeping lips, dreams darkening until almost tender arms wrapped around her to pull her gently into his embrace, so she could nestle against his chest. Soothing touches smoothed at her hair, brushing away dreams until she lay content within his arms. She hadn’t expected such tender care from him after the way he had treated her earlier in the day, but neither was she foolish enough to question it now she had been held in such a manner. Only when she dared at last to open her eyes once more did he finally speak to her. “Ah, lass, did ye nae think I had reason for wanting ye as my Deed Wife? It’s nae permitted for a Highlander to love one of ye kind, but ye a spirited one. I knew that from the first I laid eyes on ye.” Musical, his words were almost musical. “So I am thinking in a way we will be well suited, once a few small matters are settled between us. Oh, I’m nae saying ye will fall down to ye knees and worship me, but in time we’ll be content enough.” 39

Deed Wife “I hate you.” Somehow her words faltered even as she spoke them. “Aye, ye do, and ye don’t all in one, lass. That will change in time, and ye might come to like me. Part of ye does already, I am thinking, if for no other reason than ye enjoyed what happened between us.” His voice was little more than a whisper. Marion wanted to protest, but the words refused to come. Her body remembered his touches only too well and already craved more. Had she really responded with such a fierce passion as she remembered? Heat burned as twin points in her cheeks as she forced herself to look away from him. He should have reacted badly to being told that she hated him; instead, he had made no move to push her away from his arms. Nor had she heard any hint of anger in his voice. What type of man was he to treat her in such an odd fashion? “Ye think what I did was wrong, don’t ye?” He murmured. “That I should have courted ye, wooed ye like some maiden I planned to make my full wife? Ah, lass, how much you have to learn. ‘Tis nae a part of life between a woman of your kind and a man of the Clans. Perhaps in time things will change, but nae in our lifetime.” A soft nod was all she could offer as an answer. Of course it was wrong. No ceremony, no ring, nothing to bind them beyond his desire to have her in his bed. “Why? Ye are my wife, a Deed Wife, aye, but still wife. I have nae other, have nae plans for others, either.” Fingers strong enough to snap the life from her body brushed against the side of her neck. Fresh 40

Terri Pray shivers trembled their way down from the path of his caress. “I took only what is allowed me by rights, and I didnae try to hurt ye more than is part of a lass’s first time. Such matters of pain and pleasure will be for later times between us.” “I want to hate you. I really want to be able to scream at you how much I hate you, but you wouldn’t believe it any more than I would.” “Aye, lass, now ye are beginning to see the truth of it.” Pain and pleasure? Her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as she recalled his words and the color drained from her face. He couldn’t mean that, could he? Oh, gods, he did. She trembled at the memory of how she had reacted under his touch. How those small sparks of pain had urged her onwards, forced her higher than before. Had she been infected by some terrible illness that she had cleaved to him when he offered her nothing in the way of kindness? There had to be an answer to all of this, one she wasn’t seeing just yet. Her hands clenched on her thighs as she tried to fight the confusion. No, she was just trying to put a positive edge on what had happened and he had misread her body’s signals. “But ye don’t hate me, do ye, and that confuses ye, doesn’t it, lass? Ye have said how much ye want to hate, to scream, yet ye didnae understand why it’s not how things truly are for ye now.” She could see the smile playing over the lips that had so gently touched her own. Yet behind it was a darker gaze, one that left her shivering against his body. “That confusion will 41

Deed Wife fade in time also. Once ye accept who ye now are and what pleasures I will take the time to introduce you to. And I will be gentle at times, I didnae expect an untried lass to know all the intimate details of what it takes to please a man beneath the covers.” Marion didn’t know if she craved the time it would fade, or feared it. Yet she still allowed her body to relax within his arms for now, and tried to push away the growing confusion he fueled. “Callum, will you answer me a question. There is one thing I don’t understand. This place, it doesn’t fit with you being—I mean, having—enough to demand me from my father.” She tried to force her mind into thinking of other things, matters that didn’t involve her body melded against his. “Aye, I guess it would seem that way to ye, lass. Then this isnae my home, but one of the cottages I own. Just as I own ye,” he explained in a calm, matter-of-fact tone before he leaned closer, giving her no chance to pull away. Breath-stealing lips claimed her own, chasing away the thoughts that being his could have ever been something she viewed as unpleasant. His smile didn’t fade as he rolled from the bed and walked across towards the small table with its waiting pitcher and bowl. His kilt had become tangled about his waist during their bed sport, and now Callum Jacobs unwound it from his body until he stood naked before the table. The taut skin of his ass stood fully within her view, teasing her with the play of the light across his back. Curled edges of his dark hair sat along his shoulders and for the first time 42

Terri Pray she saw the dark V of hair that marked a path down from his shoulders. Fire crept across her cheeks at the memory of what she and Callum had so recently explored together. The feel of his lips across her body, the way she had parted her thighs perhaps too willingly for his flesh and become a living sheath for his erection. She should have felt ashamed and sought to hide her body under the blankets, even cried for what she had permitted him to do to her. Instead, the need to explore those delights further grew with each passing breath. “Ye’ll get used to my ways, lass. Just need ye to trust my wishes and accept that this is the way of things now.” His words snapped her mind away from the images his body had triggered, bringing her back to the reality of what Callum saw her as. No matter his soft words of potential love to her, Marion knew well that without the words of a preacher she would always be little more than a servant. Love? Who was she trying to fool? He didn’t love her. Such liaisons were forbidden between Highlanders and women of the low lands, women from Britain. No, she did not dare to try and fool herself with dreams of love or romance within this relationship. She was a slave, a wife forced to wed for no reason but it pleased him to take her to his bed. Better she remember such things when dealing with this man who she now must call husband and Sir. “Once we move to my main house, I’ll be making sure ye have more in the way of clothing than that 43

Deed Wife one dress. Didnae even look as though there is enough left in those scraps to be called a dress, does there?” He glanced back over his shoulder, casting a grin her way before turning back to the washbowl. “I cannae have people thinking I nae take care of those under my charge, or did ye pack more for ye trip here?” Could he not see the pain that his words caused her? “My trunk is at the dock, Sir. I mentioned that yesterday.” “Ah, aye, ye did indeed.” Chattel, that’s all she was, a mere chattel to be tended in the same way as a sheep or cow. One he needed to show some level of care towards and replace the dress he had ruined in his haste to explore her body, but beyond that a piece of property claimed under the laws that now governed both their countries. Love and ownership, how could the two ever go hand in hand? How could he expect her to meekly accept that? Didn’t love mean being willing to fight past whatever obstacles might stand in your way, pushing past them no matter the cost? Unless he was lying and just looking for a way to stop her from fighting back against him every time he wanted her company in the bed? She frowned, trying to recall if he had actually said he loved her, or he had just implied it? Lord have mercy, what was she trying to do to herself? Water sloshed into the bowl, and she let her eyes play over his broad back as he washed down his body from the sweat of their shared passions. Washing 44

Terri Pray down didn’t sound like such a bad idea; their combined enjoyment had left its mark on her body, and now her skin itched from the aftereffects of their time together. The sight of his body glistening with rogue droplets of water triggered her newfound passion. Would it be so wrong to just reach out and touch him, perhaps tumble back onto the well-used bed with him? Her thighs clenched, heat building between them, a silken coating forming on her lower lips as she squirmed with the memory of his touches. What was she thinking? He was a problem, trouble, not a man to be dreaming of. Not someone whose touches should arouse her and leave her wanting to know more of the delights he had introduced her to. His hands moved through the tangle of his hair, pushing back loose waves before he reached for his kilt. The cloth covering his buttocks from her sight finally allowed her mind and voice to work together once more. “Why won’t you stand before a preacher with me, if you love me?” She could hear the smile in his words even though he still stood with his back to her. “Are ye daft, lass? Marry a low land woman? Would ye have me run out from my Clan as a fool and a traitor? Ye a pretty one, I’ll grant ye that much, and I will enjoy having ye in my life, but marry ye? Ah, lass, ye have so much to learn about the situation here.” He shook his head softly, a gentle light and regretful smile eased but a small part of the sting from his words. “’Tis a shame 45

Deed Wife to know ye are so ignorant of how such a marriage would be reacted to here.” Her hands clenched into the blankets “But if you love me, then why would their reactions really matter?” “Didnae mistake my soft words for having a soft mind to match.” Callum turned, fire flashing within his dark eyes, his accent growing thicker with each new word. “Ye thought I would forget ye race, what ye kind did to mine just because o’ a little time spent with ye between the blankets? I said our kind are forbidden to love, but I never said I was in love with ye. Why would I open myself up to problems of that kind? The mage guild would have my head for such for such foolishness, and the Highlands doesnae breed stupid men.” “You’re talking about things that happened before I was even born, Callum.” Her hands clenched at her sides. So he didn’t love her, it was just a word thrown at her to ease the moment. Bastard. How dare he raise her hopes in such a manner? “And ye would try to claim that ye people have changed?” One dark eyebrow arched as he fixed her with a calm stare. “I was a fool to think ye could be granted even one moment of kindness. If such has ye believing that I will toss aside my people’s ways and even worse that I am in love with ye, then it is nae a mistake I will make again with ye.” “I claim that things were never as bad as the tales say. How could a civilized people ever have demanded first night rights in the way the Clans 46

Terri Pray would have us believe? How could we have forced such things into being when your people have the aid of the fae and the magic of the land? Such a thing would be impossible.” Her words spat across the gap between them. “A lie, it’s nothing more than a vile lie from the Prince who now claims himself to be my King. He even shows the signs of the magic, looking as young now as he did the day of the battle. A foul way of life, using spells to keep his appearance so young. Vain, he is.” “Aye, I guess he is a wee bit vain at that. But we didnae always have the magic and ye histories admit to such. Even ours do, lass.” His hand clenched, the distance between the washbowl and the bed cleared in two strides. He frowned, looking down on her, his voice shifting into a harsh, low whisper. “Seek to beguile me with ye lies, would ye, woman? Shifting the topic from one thing to the next instead of learning how to be a good bed mate to me?” “No, I…” His hands stripped the blankets from her body, catching her by the shoulders as Callum yanked her from the scant safety offered by the bed. “I wouldn’t do such a thing, Sir.” “I know the evil ye people have done to mine of the generations. The very same that I know ye kind would do again if given but a single chance. Do ye think me stupid that I didnae know ye own father leads talks to rally people to fight against ye rightful rulers? Oh, he thinks that we didnae know what he is up to, but such whispers of sedition quickly reach the ears of those loyal to the Clans.” His gaze narrowed fully on her trembling form. 47

Deed Wife “My Father is a rebel leader? He couldn’t...wouldn’t dream of being a part of such a thing, he’s spent his whole life telling me to mind my place around the Highlanders. He punished me if I so much as spoke against the cruel laws your people have enforced on mine.” Her mind reeled with the suggestion. Anytime Marion had tried to argue that England would be better under its own rule, it had been met with sharp reminders of the debt they, as a people, owed those of the Highlands. Even her mother had learned to keep her thoughts locked away, far from the keen ears of her father. Just a hint of rebellion against the Highlands had been met with severe punishment to one or both of them. Thank the lord her mother had been taken into heaven years before and could not now see the fate that had befallen her only daughter. “I can’t accept that about him, not when I’ve witnessed his reactions first hand for too many years.” Between the way she had been locked in the root cellar and meeting the willow switch, she had soon learned to keep her opinions to herself. What happened to her mother she didn’t dare to guess at, but she had seen the pale face and way her mother had withdrawn for weeks, sometimes months after the offence had been dealt with. The one and only time Marion had threatened to run away and join with a group of her age mates who spoke out against the Clans had been met with him locking her within the house, and resulted in a slap across her face and a meeting with the willow switch that had left her unable to sit for a week. 48

Terri Pray “He speaks behind closed doors, lass. In places where ye will nae hear what he speaks of, away from his home. I didnae know why, but he does so on a regular basis. He talks about days when someone will rally men to be shaking off our rule. Maybe he will only ever talk about it, but ye in my care might put an end to that. I didnae take kindly to those under my rule speaking of rebellion. Even less so when it involves finding a way to tap the magic themselves. ‘Tis a foolish idea. When will ye people learn that such power is not for your kind?” “I’m nothing more to you than a bartering piece!” Her jaw clenched, anger building with every new beat of her heart. Tap the magic? Everyone knew that only those of the Clans could access the magic of the fae creatures. Hundreds of men and women born south of the border had tried and all had failed. There was no way to use it without the bloodline of the Clans running through your veins. It was ridiculous; her father would never have such a foolish thing. “Then I’m nothing more to you than a way of keeping my father in line!” “Nae, lass, maybe ye were when I first had the idea of taking his daughter for myself, but that changed when I saw ye.” He shrugged a little. “Ye a pleasant slip of a lass, and I had a mind to spend more than a few days waking up with you next to me. Perhaps we will be able to settle things between us enough to make this passing nice for you. If ye learn to obey my wishes, then ye life will nae be one of hardship, but if ye cross me, then the spanking will be but the first of such corrections ye will feel at my 49

Deed Wife hand. Push it too far, and it will be the switch for ye. But until then, I am willing to give ye a chance to enjoy a good life as my companion.” “Liar! You can try and dress it up all you want, but I’m nothing more than a chess pawn to you. Lord have mercy, how could I have ever been so foolish to believe anything else? To hope for anything else from you? The way you left me standing alone at the dock showed me just how little I truly mean to you.” His fingers dug into her skin, pushing a cry of pain from her lips as her hands grabbed for the protection of a blanket. A protection he denied her by yanking the blankets off the bed and tossing them against the floor. Naked and fearful, she shook in his grip, hard nipples only a breath away from his chest, her breasts trembling with each beat of her heart. Only now did Marion taste the potential of his strength. If he wanted to strike out at her, crush her neck under his fingers and toss her broken body into a waste pit, there would be nothing she could do to stop him. A soft whimper escaped from her lips and her hands dropped to her sides, back arching gently to arrange her body before his eyes. The only hope she now had was that he would take some form of pity on her, or find her body too attractive to simply destroy and toss aside. “Ye father is walking a fine line, lass and now ye would be following his example. I’ve struck down men for calling me false, didnae be thinking ye skirts will save ye from my anger if ye call me that again.” His words softened, but the fire within his eyes 50

Terri Pray remained the same. Callum took a slow breath, one hand still holding her shoulder firmly as he fought to control the anger from claiming both his words and actions. “A line ye would have me walking just because I have made the mistake of falling in—just because I sought to take a woman nae of the Clans to my bed. I will nae permit ye to call me a liar. Honor is a personal matter, and one I didnae take lightly. Insult mine again, and ye will regret it for a long time to come.” His grip eased enough to let her drop fully onto the bed, her hands grabbing for the nearest blanket in a need to cover her body from his view. “If I had been given the choice, I would not have come here. No one asked me, no one even cared to see if this was something of my choosing.” Didn’t he understand that she wanted nothing of this arrangement? Not that it mattered to him. Nor her father it seemed. Why hadn’t the man who had given her life done something to protect her from this Highlander, this creature that now stood before her and claimed her as husband in all but the one way that would matter in the long term? Because she was a girl child, only good for bartering off in a marriage, or political arrangement that would bring some measure of protection to the family as a whole. Lord, what a mess. If she had just been born a man, then it wouldn’t have mattered. She could have fled overseas or found her own way in life, but as a woman, she was reliant on the good graces of her family in so many ways. 51

Deed Wife “Why can’t you see that I’d soon be living with my family?” She threw the words at him, barely aware that she was still all but naked to his wandering gaze. A fact he soon brought to life as he growled, “Women! It doesnae matter what side of the border ye come from ye still know how to distract a man with ye bodies.” Callum shook his head slowly and stepped back from the now half destroyed bed. “Get yeself dressed; a shirt of mine will do as a shift until we can figure out something a little better. Then get ye arse out into the kitchen and make us both something to eat.” A rough off-white shirt landed on the bed next to her and without another word to Marion, Callum stalked out of the room, leaving the door open behind him.

52

Terri Pray

Chapter Five

A

rrogant did not even begin to describe him after what she had witnessed so far. She’d seen men like him before, or thought she had, but never in such close confines as the cottage had forced her into. There had always been a way to escape their unwanted gazes or the sharp comments that might have otherwise plagued her existence. Now she suffered his presence in a way that left her half wanting to scratch his eyes out, despite the punishment that no doubt would have followed such an attempt. She glanced out towards the door he had walked through. No doubt he already thought her to be lazy, and worth nothing but a few moments of bed sport when the time called for it, but she would show him that there was far more to her than a pair of thighs to be parted. In time, he might actually come to care for her as more than a Deed Wife—no, he had already made it painfully clear that such a thing was not possible. The laws of the Clans, the rules of behavior when it came to the separation between the Highlanders and those they ruled over, made that very clear indeed. Foolish. Because of those rules, she had been locked in a situation that offered her no hope of the love she had dreamed of as a young girl. Perhaps it 53

Deed Wife was just as well; life had a way of shattering dreams the moment they came within reach. This was her life now, one where she must obey him and keep him from becoming too angry with her, or he would quickly show her just how painful her world could become. Marion clenched her teeth and tried to ignore the steady breeze that played under the edge of the illfitting shirt she had been forced to don, or face working nude in the cottage. Not something she was willing to endure. She smoothed the shirt down against her body, trying to accept that this would have to do for now. Though it was long enough to hide most of her body from casual view, it still left her legs bare from the knees down and gapped enough at the neck that bending over would not only expose much of her ass to any that cared to look, but half her breasts as well. A real dress would have been better, and she had half hoped he would realize that when she had walked back into the main room of the cottage. Yet he’d just grinned in approval before walking out of the cottage. Typical male reaction. Give them a chance to ogle a half-naked woman and they jumped at the opportunity. Still, at least he had left her to the work in some measure of peace and quiet. Well, perhaps she could use this to her advantage. Men were simple creatures to distract, if she had heard right from the serving maids in her father’s home. Not that she had been able to learn much from the women; just when the conversation started to get interesting; someone 54

Terri Pray would realize she was there and send her out of earshot. But still, she’d heard enough to gather that most men could be ruled by a pair of soft thighs and well-rounded breasts. She just had to learn how to do that. “Make something to eat, he says. Then off he goes without a word. Just what does he expect me to be able to put together in this place?” Marion wrapped a cloth about the handle of a heavy pot, shifting it to a hook over the open fire. “Wear one of my shirts; it’ll do until we can figure out something a little better indeed. Might as well be naked for as much good it does me. Not as if it’s doing much to cover me up.” One of these days she would find a way to exact revenge on men like him for all the hurtful things done to the women born outside of the Clan structure. Cook, clean, learn to be a compliant bedmate and then just accept that this was to be her lot in life? Did he truly just think she would sit back in silence and be the dutiful servant? No, but he expected her to eventually accept the information and had made it clear that he would correct her as often as he felt he needed to. She frowned, shaking her head. Even if she gathered the skills needed to turn him about her finger, she would still be a servant living in the Highlands, bound by the whim of her Master. No, not a servant at all, but a Deed Wife, as even a servant would have more say in their life than she did. Things could have been so much easier between them, if he had the courage to accept her as a full wife, with the full honor that a true marriage would bring. Instead, 55

Deed Wife he wanted to keep his place within the Clans that sought to control her people. And all because of the lies spread in the wake of the battle at Culloden. Even If he had wanted her as a real wife rather than some pretty little piece of property in his bed whenever it suited him, she had no real way of knowing what he truly desired of her, or with her, other than the orders and her presence in his bed. Men, they only ever wanted one thing from a woman and that was the velvet heat between a pair of silken thighs. She growled, peering at the pot. Sex and food, yes that’s all they needed from a woman. For conversation and company they would seek out their own gender, no doubt that part was the same north of the border as it was to the south. Only those scandalous women of the cities, those who gambled, drank and cavorted openly with men of rank, were treated as more than creatures for the kitchen and boudoir. The porridge bubbled over the low fire as she knelt before the hearth and stirred the thick mixture. The picture of a simple life, if any had seen her, with her hair unbound down her back and wearing the shirt of her man as a shift. His scent lingered on the shirt, a subtle reminder of the man that had taken her maidenhead and left her wanting so much more from him, well beyond that which she had the ability to give a name to. Betrayed by her own desires. What sort of Englishwoman was she to look forward to the next seductive touch from the man that she had been parceled off to serve without so much as 56

Terri Pray a by-your-leave from her own family? A fool, no doubt. No. Not that. One that now understood that being with a man could be pleasant, even enjoyable, perhaps addictive in the long term. And one that now stood torn between a craving to know more and a desire to spit in his face. For a moment, Marion almost gave into the temptation to dream beyond being a Deed Wife to Callum. Allowing images of a long life together, walking through the village proudly at his side, even of his arm curled publicly about her waist, introducing her to others as his bride. All too quickly, the images changed. She’d have to walk at his side or behind him, keeping her gaze lowered when he stopped to speak to others of the Clan. The hateful looks would follow her from those women of the Clan that might seek to become his true wife and the attacks would follow any slip in public behavior from her. She would spend so many years hiding her thoughts, sheltering her reactions behind a soft, submissive mask if she wanted to survive through the expected humiliations. All those months, years, perhaps longer, of pretending to be someone else in order to survive, how would that affect her? Would she eventually become the willing little creature she would have to pretend to be? Lord have mercy. If my father could see what I have become with just one turn between the sheets, he would disown me. Unless he feared the retribution from Callum. I wish he had told me what he was doing. 57

Deed Wife Hate and scorn would be part of any life she shared with him and that he, no doubt, expected her to accept without comment. Father, why did you send me to him? Was he telling me the truth, have you been working against them? Seeking to find a way to tap the magic of his people? Are you truly that foolish? We all know it’s not something that they would ever allow someone outside of the Clans to have access to. She frowned, looking into the fire. The small glimpses of magic she had seen during her trip to the cottage were all too clear in her mind. Just tiny little things when she thought about the magic that had been used in battle or to squash a rebellion before it had even had the chance to truly begin. A cabin door latched by a rune with no key needed. The spell that prevented her from touching her own chest, quickly woven by the ferry master, and then there had been the lights that had decorated the edge of the ferry that had come from no mortal source. Yet here, in this cottage, she had seen nothing. Not so much as a spark of the magic. Did he have the ability to use it? She hadn’t felt the telltale tingle of power being used since she had arrived in the cottage. Not that it mattered; even if he was unable to, there were plenty of the Clansmen that could use the magic and keep her people under their control. Yet, she had felt something in her time with him in her father’s rose garden. She had felt something then, a small touch, but not enough to suggest he had used magic directly on her. 58

Terri Pray No it had been on something else, only she had been too interested in him to notice just what he had been doing at the time. “Tend the meals, the fire, and his bed. Be a good woman and mind my place. I’d rather walk back to the ferry naked.” Marion poked the spoon into the porridge, teeth grinding with her growing frustration. “He can find himself some willing little chit for that. I’m not minded to bend to his wishes just to keep a smile on his face.” “Keep ye muttering up, lass and that is what ye will be doing.” His voice snarled through the dimly lit cottage from behind her. “I should ne’er have spoken of my feelings towards ye. Ye acting as if that care has given ye leave to be mouthy instead o’ minding ye place.” Care? Feelings? He’d not shown her either, in all honesty. Marion bit at the inside of her lip, her hands tightening on the wooden spoon she had been using to tend the meal. Her knuckles turned white with her grip, hands shaking and even though she kept her eyes on the porridge, Marion could still feel his gaze burning into the back of her neck. Every part of her wanted to scream in rage, demand to be allowed to leave the Highlands and return home. But what good would it have done her? She belonged to him and that he had made all too clear. He might dress it up with softer words when it suited him, but she could not, would not permit herself to fall for those lies. 59

Deed Wife “Mind ye place, woman,” he repeated slowly. I heard you the first time. She wanted to snap that at him, to throw the kettle against the wall, or do something that would help him realize that he had no right to treat her like this. But they both knew the truth; Callum had every right to treat her in such a way. He was of the Clans. She wasn’t. “Yes, Sir.” The porridge bubbled, splashing the sides of the black kettle. She kept her gaze lowered to the kettle, her tone forced into a level of subservience she had never attempted before. Best to keep calm and find a way to let off steam when he wasn’t around, she would have to find some way of centering herself, focusing past the anger if she wanted to avoid punishments at his hand. “Your meal will be ready soon, as you requested it to be.” That’s if I don’t let it burn and add a good handful of ash to the porridge. “I have company coming this morning before we head to my home, so ye best be behaving or it will be my belt instead o’ my hand this time.” He glanced towards the kettle. “And porridge will do for now, though it is nae what I would class as a full meal, just a simple way to break the morning fast. I can only hope he will nae be offended by such a scant offering.” “I couldn’t find anything else to make for a meal, Sir. But I will no doubt find my way around soon enough and I think it will be easier in your main house where the stores are better kept. He will be coming here?” She hesitated only long enough to see him nod. “Then I will need something to wear, Sir.” 60

Terri Pray Her hand tugged at the shirt as her anger fought to break free. “If I am to be here when your company arrives, that is? I could always hide in the bedroom, of course.” “Ye have that shirt, and it will do well enough for now.” He glowered at her across the small room. “What else would ye need?” “A real dress, Sir?” Her jaw tightened, body straightening up in front of the hearth. “You cannot expect me to be seen like this? I will not tend you house and guest in just your shirt like some camp follower. Do you think I have no shame?” “What I think is that ye are my property, and if I tell ye to greet my guests wearing nothing more than ye hair and a smile, then that is what ye will do! Your shame or ye lack of it isn’t part of the issue.” Callum’s dark eyes met Marion’s without sign of weakness or wavering. “Or would ye rather that I’m busy tanning ye arse when he arrives?” Her mouth opened to spit protests at him, only to snap shut under his gaze. At that moment, Marion understood the look in Callum’s eyes. No matter what he felt for her, he would not permit Marion to shame him in front of his family or any member of the Clan. He cleared the distance between them, reaching out for her in a manner that belied his obvious annoyance. In the silence that held the cottage, his hand caressed the side of her face, his gaze softening only when she gave her answer. “I understand, Callum, and will not disgrace you in front of your guest. But when he is gone, then you and I will have words.” She barely managed to keep 61

Deed Wife her anger from turning her words into venom-filled weapons. “Of that I have no doubt, Marion. I didnae doubt that your pride would forbid such a display if ye had the means to prevent it. However, ‘tis my will that rules here, nae yours. And ye will remember to use the correct terms of respect when he is here. My name will do on rare occasions, but never in front of others. Didnae be testing me on that.” Callum dropped his hand away from her face and stepped back through the cottage towards the room they had both shared the night before. Whatever tenderness had been between them had passed, and he left her standing before the hearth with the wooden spoon in her hand, lacking the answers she needed. “And if nothing else, will remind ye of such, perhaps ye clothing kept to nae more than one of my shirts when we have company will do the trick.” Striking out at him wasn’t an option. Even running would do nothing in the long term. Where would she run to? Her accent and lack of clothes would both proclaim her as an outsider. “Bloody bastard.” Her knuckles turned white under the thin coating of soot from the fire. “He needs a poker shoved up his arse. A red-hot one, and I hope I’m there to see it when it finally happens. I swear I’ll help them get it in good and tight, given half the chance.” But if that happened, she would never feel his touch again. Not a pleasant thought, despite the circumstances that had placed her in his care. He was skilled, that much she had to admit to, even though 62

Terri Pray she had no one else to compare him to. Low noises filtered past the half closed door. Drawers opening, closing, a lid snapping shut, but still he didn’t leave the room. Whatever Callum was up to in there, she didn’t care if he never stepped outside of the room again. If the ground opened up beneath him, she’d celebrate for a month and be glad that she never had to deal with him again. No, that wasn’t quite true. If he were carried out to his funeral, then she would have danced alongside his grave. So why did her skin still tingle from where he had touched her cheek? Or her body replay the memory of his caresses until her sex clenched tight at the very thought of him? “I don’t love him, I know I don’t. He’s just another arrogant Highlander. One that needs taking down a peg or three before he realizes that he’s not the most important man on the planet and that he doesn’t have the right to treat me as if I was just a damn piece of property.” Marion growled and shoved her spoon into the porridge, stirring the thick mixture as she muttered into the smoke. “Need to give him a piece of my mind, just hit him with that damn pot and tell him exactly what I think of him. And I will not care if he gets angry with me for it; he’s just a Clan brute, not a proper gentleman. No real man would have me dressed like this when company arrives.” What good would it do to blurt such into his face? None at all, and she knew that all too well. He’d have the right to punish her for even looking at him the wrong way. Letting all the anger free to fly into his face with words she couldn’t even put into 63

Deed Wife being right now would not help her. Nothing would help her now. Not her anger or her words. The only thing she could do was to keep silent and try to find a way to survive. If she were lucky, then maybe, just maybe the hold the Highlanders had on the lands would fade and all those under their control would… Would what? Return home and face the scorn of those fortunate enough not to be touched. Even if she could find a way to return to her father’s house, she’d be a whore in the eyes of the other women. A woman who had allowed a Highlander to touch her, use her, as if she had really had a choice in her life. Her own people would never welcome her back, and then there was another problem. What if their brief time together had left her quick with child? Her fingers splayed across her taut belly, searching for some sign of a life within. Would he soften towards her if such were the case? What if she gave him a child? Her hands pressed against the slight curve. That small touch of a swell that she knew lay beneath her shirt. Her heart soared at the thought, only to crash into the ashes in the next moment. Any child of hers would never be claimed as true born, or anything more than the bastard gotten on his Deed Wife. She would never find a way to gain his love, to see the soft light of kindness, the sort that went hand in hand with love, shining from his gaze. Her stomach knotted, emotions torn asunder. She loved him, didn’t she? If it wasn’t love that she felt, then it had to be something equally powerful, or 64

Terri Pray it would not have torn at her so much. She was a fool. Like so many women before her. What did she know of love? Not much, but her heart told her that no matter what she tried to tell herself she did, indeed, feel that towards him. Stupid indeed. Why did she care for him, love him and still feel the path of his fingers across her skin? “Damnit, woman. Do ye nae think I can see the anger in ye body. The set o’ ye shoulders, the way ye almost pushing that spoon through the pot?” Callum’s hand touched her arm. She hadn’t even heard him walk back into the room. “I’m nae blind nae matter what ye might think of me now. But there is nae point in ye taking it out on the food. Now try and focus on the chores and didnae be burning the blasted meal.” “I’ve every right to be angry, Sir.” All thoughts she had had of striking out at him vanished with his touch triggering a tingling moving through her skin that she couldn’t deny. “You’ve taken the only bartering point a woman has for a marriage and now you’ll be looking for a real wife to satisfy your Clan laws, no doubt. Then what will happen to me? I’ve heard how the Highland women treat the Deed Wives. They speak of it south of the border, not in whispers either, but in loud warnings so that those of us doomed to become Deed Wives will know what to expect.” “What I say now is something ye will nae repeat to another living soul, my lass. Is that very clear?” His fingers tightened into her shoulder, his breath wrapping about her neck even as she nodded quietly 65

Deed Wife to his words. “Ah, Marion, listen to me for I’m nae lying to ye. Is nae my way, regardless of what ye might think of my people. I’ll be taking no bride except ye. Sounds strange, I know, but ye need to listen to me on this. I’ll bring no one except ye into my household to share my bed, but I cannae officially marry ye lass. Didnae matter how much I want to wed ye, I cannae not unless the Clans forget what has happened between our people. It is the way of things. It doesnae matter what ye want or I might hope for one day, this is how life truly is.” Marion swallowed as she leant back against his chest with tears stinging her eyes, the words trembled from her lips as they seared into the heart she would have to hide from all but Callum. Did he mean it? Did he truly wish to take her for a wife? It was a slim hope but one she had to hold on to if she wanted to find the strength to survive north of the border. “Deed Wife then, until the Clans forget?” “Aye, lass.” Though his eyes held the answer they both wished to ignore for the time being, the Clans would never forget the pain of the past, nor the anger they still felt towards those who lived south of their ancestral homes. “Foolish I am for giving ye such a hope. Better ye forget what I just said and think on other matters.” “Yes, Sir.” Foolish indeed, they both were. Why would he ever grant her such a slim hope when he had made it clear he did not love her? And she could not understand why he would declare that he would take no other woman into his household like that. She had no way of knowing if he was serious, or if these 66

Terri Pray were just words offered to a woman in order to keep her compliant, but she was willing to grasp onto the thin shred of hope. Perhaps he truly is one that wishes no complications of the heart when it comes to matters of the bedchamber? If so, then I’ll spend more days crying than I might be able to cope with. Yet it’s worth the risk. Isn’t it? Yes, worth the risk a hundred times over and more, if he had found a way, a hint of something that might eventually change the world around them. Or if he was willing to live through the hurtful words, the way his people would turn their backs on him to be with her. Even if the only place she could know the tender side of his nature she had been so briefly shown was within the cottage, or a room with a closed door, then it might just be enough to survive the rest of the years ahead. “Now, wash ye face, lass, and ready yeself. We will be having a visitor soon enough, and I didnae want him to think that I’m nae able to keep my new lass under control.” He patted her ass sharply, not enough to send more than a brief rush through her body even as her cheeks stained crimson and his next words only added to the flush of heat that turned her inner walls liquid. “There will be time enough for matters of bed sport after he has gone. Ye seem to take willingly enough to that part of our relationship, which I should be thankful for, but your cooking skills leave a lot to be desired. Off with ye, and go rescue the porridge before it burns enough that you’ll be spending a week scrubbing the kettle out.” 67

Deed Wife

Chapter Six

W

ith flames dancing across her cheeks and tainting her shoulders a deep red, Marion darted across to the kettle. Why had he told her such things, promises not to take a real wife, the fact he cared for her, that he would marry her if it hadn’t been for the laws that governed the Clans. She glanced back at him even as she grabbed the cloth, wrapping it about her hand before she tugged the kettle away from the flames. Scowling she looked down into the black pot. Burned in places, the porridge now stuck to parts of the iron pot and she already knew she would be spending some hours trying to scrub the damn thing clean. Shaking her head, she set the kettle down away from the flames and turned, the edges of the shirt flaring upwards, baring her thighs far more than she had thought possible. She had tried shifting and smoothing the shirt down a dozen times already but it truly hadn’t made that much of a difference. Anything that worked to keep the shirt low on her thighs was instantly undone the next time she moved. Hopeless. She would just have to live with it like this and hope Callum would let her have something else to wear before much longer. “Now there’s a pretty sight, and nae mistake.” The 68

Terri Pray new voice caught her almost off-guard and if it hadn’t been for the warning about a visitor, her reaction might have been one that would have resulted in a punishment from Callum. Now, instead of snapping at him or fixing him with a look that would have crossed the line into insolence, she met his blatant stare with a downcast gaze and soft tone. “Thank you, Sir.” She struggled against the impulse to run and hide, or find a way to pull the shirt down to cover more of her thighs. Doing so would have only bared even more of her breasts than he could already see, something else she had learned during her brief experiments with the shirt. Either way, she remained exposed to his view. “Ah, Donald, ‘tis good to see ye again.” Callum moved past her to welcome the other man into the small cottage. “I received word that ye would be in this neck of the woods again, but yesterday. I am glad that I didnae head out as soon as the lass arrived, but waited for word that ye would be visiting. It has been far too long since we have shared a sup together.” “Aye, well, when I heard ye had taken a Deed Wife, it was something I had to come and see for myself.” Donald’s almost merry gaze moved openly over Marion’s form. “Ye were the last one I ever expected to do such a thing.” Her skin tingled in warning even before he gestured towards Marion, the sparkles of light played over his fingers for a brief moment before they vanished. “Though I can see why you wanted her now. She’s a sweet little thing, isn’t she?” 69

Deed Wife “Aye, in more ways than one. And ye can save the show of magic, the lass is well aware of the powers of the Highlands. Such a use of them is a waste, my friend.” Callum’s words added fresh fuel to the twin fires in her cheeks. “But come in, sit down for a while and tell me what is new with ye these past few months.” Only now when he moved into the cottage did Marion risk taking more than a quick peek at the man. Taller than Callum, but only by an inch or two at most, he moved with an easy yet arrogant grace that she had come to associate with the Highlanders. His hair hung about his shoulders in burnished waves of reddish gold, not gathered back in the ponytails that had become popular with the men of her home. Until he turned and glanced back at her, forcing her to lower her gaze, she had no idea what color his eyes were and was almost surprised to see they were a deep blue. “She’s a curious wench as well from the looks of things, and her manner of dress is odd. Not that I’m complaining any, shows off her charms quite well.” Donald smiled as he spoke, his gaze moving openly over her barely covered form. “Ah, well, the dress side is my doing. Seems I ripped her only dress but yesterday and until I have the time to go and fetch her trunk, she’s doomed to either wander naked or make do with shirts of mine to keep her body covered.” Callum shrugged then shot her a stern look. “The porridge is nae dishing itself up, lass, and ye have a pot to scrub out, so get ye lazy low land arse into gear instead of wasting time 70

Terri Pray staring at my guests in such a manner.” Her hands clenched tight as she turned her attention back to the porridge. Why did he have to do that? She would have got back to the work in just a moment or two. Damn it all to hell and back, she wasn’t lazy. None of the men and women she had known in her home town would have fallen into that category, at least not to her knowledge, but he seemed to delight in throwing such insults her way. “She has the look of one that will fight you when she is given the chance. Though knowing ye, that fight is something ye will enjoy from time to time.” Donald chuckled, though the sound brought her no pleasure. “Ah, now that much I already know.” Callum’s voice reached her across the room as she hefted the kettle over to the table, setting it down before she began the hunt for two bowls. “Ye will be serving myself and my guest, lass. Ye can eat later once ye have caught up with ye chores some. Ye know I will nae tolerate laziness from one serving me.” Her stomach growled a noisy complaint. “Yes, Sir. I understand.” “Be sure ye do, ye know what will happen if ye disgrace me.” He didn’t even look at her this time. “Yes, Sir.” She bit into her bottom lip long enough to feel the sharp pain that brought her back down to earth. Two small wooden bowls soon joined the kettle on the table, along with two hand-carved spoons. Even burned, the porridge smelt good. Her empty stomach clenched as she dished up the two servings for the waiting men. 71

Deed Wife “So will ye be sharing ye newfound lass?” Sharing? Her fingers tightened on the newly filled bowls. What did he mean by sharing? Her throat tightened, lips drying out as she listened to the conversation. “Maybe once I am satisfied with her training.” Callum explained. “Right now she might not understand that she is to serve and represent my interests.” He wouldn’t, couldn’t be serious about having her serve some other man. Not when he had promised not to take another woman into his life. She tried to hold on to some level of control as she carried the bowls over to the two men. Trembling, she offered them the bowls. “Is that how ye have been taught to serve ye Master, lass?” Callum fixed her with a stern look. “I cannae believe ye didnae know how to serve fully. I have a guest, didnae disgrace me so.” She frowned, meeting Callum’s gaze. “I’m not sure what you mean, Sir.” “Kneel.” She blinked, her shoulders knotting. “Kneel, Sir?” “Yes, kneel. You’re property nae a free woman with the right to walk out. When you serve me, ye will kneel.” His gaze hardened. A lead weight dropped into the pit of her stomach as she sought his face for some sign of this being a joke. This couldn’t be happening to her. Not after the way he had told her that she was to be the only woman in his life. “Well, what are ye waiting for, girl? Have ye nae 72

Terri Pray seen a woman kneel before?” He gestured to the floor. “Get on with it, lass. Now! Before I lose my temper!” Shame clutched at her heart, the bowls in her hands shook hard enough that the spoons rattled along the edge as she forced herself down onto her knees at his feet. She pressed her thighs tightly together as she lifted the two wooden bowls upwards to the waiting men. The soft cloth of the shirt slipped further up her thighs, baring them almost to the edge of her mound. “Better, much better, though in time ye will learn how I prefer to see ye kneel. But for now this will work.” Callum leaned down, taking the bowls from her hands. “Stay there, lass.” She barely bit back a whimper, lowering her head quickly, the long, soft tendrils of hair brushed over her burning cheeks. How could he treat her like this? Worse still, he seemed to enjoy it. Lord, was this who he really was? Not the man that had cupped her cheek, who had given her a sense of hope, but this cruel brute that now insisted she kneel half naked at the feet of a stranger and her owner alike. Yet kneeling like this, no matter how demeaning it was, had another affect on her trembling form. One she neither wanted nor one she could deny. A wave of heat washed upwards through her body from between her thighs. A soft tingling trailed over her skin, not the sort she felt when someone close by was using magic, but one that echoed his touches earlier in the day. That same heat touched her cheeks, turning them a deep red. Her body still bore some signs of the time shared 73

Deed Wife beneath the sheets. Could this Donald guess at what they had been doing? What if he could actually smell the sexual delights? She knew the scent still lingered on her skin and had been unable to do much more than a sketchy wash with the bowl and pitcher before hurrying out in the shirt. “I didnae think she likes this any,” Donald commented as he sniffed at the porridge. “That kettle is going to be hell and all for her to clean out, and will be worse if she’s forced to kneel there. She’ll have to get that thing soaking quickly.” “It might teach her a lesson in keeping an eye on the food next time. ‘Tis a touch burned but still edible, which saves her from being punished for wasting good food.” Callum shrugged, tossing aside Donald’s concerns. “She needs to learn to be more attentive, and if this teaches her to pay attention, so much the better. Of course, the other option is taking it out on her sweet ass, which I may well do anyway.” She blanched, shifting on her knees. Lord, what does he have in mind? Taking it out on her ass suggested so many possibilities now. From feeling his hand softly caress her taut buttocks or the harsh touch of a switch to far more intimate punishments that might leave her crying out his name and squirming for more. No, she didn’t need to be thinking about that now. Not with two sets of gazes locked on her every move, waiting for her to make yet another mistake. “I think a part of her likes that idea, old friend.” Donald leaned down cupping Marion’s chin, raising it so he could look into her eyes. “I see the potential 74

Terri Pray there for so much in the way of dark and interesting pleasures. Have ye tested her?” “Nae so much yet, just a few small swats, but I am thinking ye are right. Her body heated well under a harsh touch. I have one well suited to me in this lass, far more than I had hoped.” Her cheeks turned bright red as she tried to fight the urge to sink through the floor. Were her unholy desires so easy to read? Or had Callum spoken of such things before he had claimed her as his Deed Wife? There was another option, of course, that those of the Highlands were used to such desires, that they had paid for the magic now under their command by surrendering themselves to base desires. No, she could not imagine that to be true, not with the pride she knew to be a vital part of Highland blood. “Well, I will be interested to know how that turns out.” Donald’s gaze swept over her still-kneeling form. “If she’s as lively in that respect as I think she will be, then I might look to borrowing her when her training is completed.” “That’s if I am of a mind to lend her out,” Callum replied quickly. “If she has but a fraction of the possible talents I think she has, then I will be loath to let others use her. ‘Tis a fast way to have some fool try to steal her from me, I am thinking. And I’ve better things to be spending my time on than fighting every fool that tries to get in my way.” “You didnae think I would try and do such a thing, do ye? We’ve been friends for years.” Donald pressed the matter. “And ye would trust me, of that I am sure. 75

Deed Wife I would nae harm ye, girl. If anything, I might send her back to ye with a few extra skills. After all, she cannae have come to ye with much, if anything, in the way of knowledge in that respect.” “Ye cocky bastard. Friends for some time, aye, that we have, but ye too much like me. If ye want something, ye take it.” There was no venom in the words, just a friendly banter between two men that had obviously known each other for a long time. “And though the fight would chase away the cobwebs, there are better uses for such energy. Besides, I’ll teach the lass what I need her to know. Would be foolish to have her learn the preferences of another man, ‘tis me she needs to please, nae other.” “Aye, that there is,” Donald chuckled, taking a small bite of the porridge as Marion dared to steal a glance up at the two men. So alike, and yet so different in their looks, Donald even appeared to be of a slighter build than his friend, giving him an almost willowy look in comparison to the broad-shouldered man she had been bonded to. “So will ye send me away without so much as a proper look at this lass, then?” A proper look, couldn’t he see more than enough right now? “Hm, a proper look, is it?” “Aye, that shirt leaves so many questions unanswered, and hints at the flesh below, ye cannae blame a man for wanting to see more. Or are ye a mite protective of the wee lass?” Donald shot his friend a teasing look. “Getting soft, are ye?” She blanched, fear grasping her being. Her fingers 76

Terri Pray caught on the edge of the shirt, half gripping it. She did not dare speak as they discussed her fate, doing so might only make matters worse and she already knew Callum had a temper. There was a dark edge to his soul that left her shivering in true fear. In time she might be better able to judge situations, but not now. Not yet. “Protective? Of a slip of an English lass sent here to be my property? Nae more so than I would be of any other beast in my care, and for all that she is a human being, she is still property, as would be any other beast of the fields. Right now she’s worth less than a decent cow, but with the potential to fetch more in market with the right training.” Callum shrugged, though his gaze narrowed on her kneeling figure, leaving her no chance to rebel or protest his words. “And why wouldn’t ye show off such a beast, then? Are ye ashamed of her? I cannae believe ye would be. She has a sweet figure, and I’m betting the small amount that is hidden beneath that shirt is the sweetest part of all.” Her hands clenched into fists on her thighs as she listened to the two men. The heat and color had drained from her face, she felt chilled to the core knowing that any moment now he might order her to strip off for no reason than to show her to his friend. Could he really be that cruel? Tears formed and threatened to spill down her cheeks, her lips pressed tightly together in a thin line as she waited, trembling, to know what her fate would be. “Ah, and why would I do that? Stripping her off 77

Deed Wife and parading her around would only feed into her belief that we are all nothing more than bastards and beasts that treat women as whores. She’s my Deed Wife, and unless she does something to warrant such a punishment, I see little point in lowering myself to such behavior.” Relief washed through her shaking form. “Ye truly have gotten soft, Callum. Once ye would have stripped her down without a thought, being that she’s nae of the Clans. Perhaps all those trips south of the border have left ye tainted. When was the last time ye opened ye heart up to the fierce magic of the Clans and simply embraced the night? We are nae bound by their strict and foolish rules.” “And that’s where we have gone wrong in the past. We are better than the soft-bred beings of the low lands, yet we still act like beasts, given half the chance. If we are to hold onto this land and form trade with those beyond our borders, then we need to remember that what we do is watched by many, nae just those who live here, or live under our care.” “Do ye really think it matters what other people think of us?” Donald’s gaze finally moved from Marion’s kneeling form to his friend. “We rule here, nae her kind. We have the magic at our call, nae them.” “If we want to keep a hold on the lands we now control, aye, it does. Magic alone will not help us stay in power. It won the battle, nae the ongoing war. Nae so much with the English, but those others beyond our borders that we wish to trade with. Aye, we have a rich land and access to so much more now we have 78

Terri Pray control of the English lands, but we have the chance to become so much more. Especially with the magic we now have at our fingertips,” Callum explained carefully. “I’ve done a wee bit of traveling of late, to France and Germany, there are options for us. Ones we might never have looked at before. Nae to mention the Americas. I’m well aware of the stories that have returned with the ships. The goods that have come back with those ships. There is so much over there that we should be trying to avail ourselves of. Have ye nae thought of what we might do in but a few years’ time if we managed to establish ourselves as a trading power?” Donald shook his head. “I’ve had nae reason to do so.” “Well, I have. The English, for all we didnae like their ways much, did have the right of it. Trade brings money and power. We need to consolidate both, and to do that, the Clans need to learn how to use the trading routes if we are to remain in positions of authority for more than a few generations. And we need to accept there are some skills they have south of the border that we have yet to fully learn.” “Bah, what could they know that we would find use for?” Donald shrugged. “They are locked in their fearful beliefs and would nae know what to do without us now.” Marion frowned as she listened. Most of the decent cloth came from south of the border, and the growing interest in commerce had stemmed from there. For many years the Clans, or so it had seemed to the young woman, had been interesting only in trading 79

Deed Wife with each other. And Callum was right, if she understood such matters. If the Clans wished to be taken seriously as the rulers of both England and Scotland, then they would need to take part in the ongoing trading that had begun before the bloody battle that had changed the balance of power. “Ye a damn fool if ye believe that, Donald. This is nae about magic. This is trade and they have been doing this a lot longer than we have, and we would be wise to use the information they have to hand instead of just tossing that knowledge to one side. We’d be fools to treat this chance as nothing more than a foolish whim. ‘Tis time ye and the others finally understood that.”

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Chapter Seven ah, sometimes I despair of the likes of Donald. He’s skilled enough, the magic runs through his veins, but he can be stubborn at times.” Callum growled barely a handful of minutes after his friend had finally left the cottage a little after the noon hour. The argument had circled time and again. Each attempt by Callum to make his friend see sense had returned to the argument that the Clansmen and women had the magic of the fae, so did not need anything else to keep them in control of the lands. Magic was not the answer to everything and Callum saw that, which made him a better man in Marion’s viewpoint than someone like Donald, who refused to accept the obvious. Pride could be a terrible thing in the wrong hands and left a man blind to the truth unless it suited their purpose. She’d seen that enough times before making this fateful trip north. Another reason she needed to be careful around him. He wasn’t some blind youth wrapped up in the glories of a few past battles, but a man who understood some of the workings of trade, weaving, spinning and the trade goods that could be offered far and wide. More than that, there were the mines in Cornwall, Wales and other parts of the country. Rich mines that provided silver and tin, coal for the fires

“B

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Deed Wife and other goods she had little knowledge of. “Are they all like him?” She nodded towards the now closed door. “Blind, ye mean?” Callum smiled at her, following her gaze. “Some are, some aren’t. There are many that understand what we need to do in order to continue, but there are stubborn ones that think we have everything we need right here.” It was an odd situation to say the least. One minute he was treating her like a piece of meat to be pushed around in front of others and the next he seemed quite willing to actually talk to her about small matters. “Perhaps those that don’t understand trade or the businesses that have thrived south of the border should be encouraged to go and take a look for themselves?” “Aye, maybe ye are right, lass, but that has to be a decision they make for themselves.” He set the empty bowl aside. “Now I have some things I need to see to before we plan for the trip back to my home. And ye need to be seeing to the dishes. Ye can help yeself to a small bowl of porridge, then scrub the bowls and the kettle out. There’s plenty of water around for ye, though I have nae doubt ye will need to draw up some more to see the task done fully.” She scowled instantly. The thought of scrubbing out the kettle with cold water was less than appealing. And she hadn’t seen a second kettle about to be able to heat up some fresh water and at least use a little hot water for the task. Still there had to be something around she could use. “Yes, Sir.” 82

Terri Pray “Ye didnae like the chore?” One dark eyebrow arched. “No, Sir. It’s going to take me a while to scrub the pot out. It would have been easier if I had been allowed to start work on it whilst Donald was here,” sShe admitted, shifting a little on her knees. Despite the fact Donald had left she had not been given permission to move from that spot and her legs were threatening to fall asleep. “Could I leave it to soak for a time, in some hot water? It would make it easier and I’m less likely to end up spending the entire day on the one chore.” “Nae lass, this is nae meant to be easy for ye to do. It’s a punishment and lesson all in one. Now strip off, I’ll nae have ye getting that shirt wet, nae when it’s the only thing ye now have to wear.” He reached down, cupping her chin. “I’ll nae waste the rest of my shirts on ye just because ye want to hide ye body. There will be nae a one around to see ye, so ‘tis nae need to shelter behind some false modesty.” “But I’ll have to go outside to fetch the water.” She all but stammered the words. “And?” “What if someone else sees me?” “They won’t if ye work quickly and didnae act as if ye have all day to finish ye chore.” He shrugged, his fingers tightening on her chin. “Stand up, girl. Come on, I’ve nae got all day.” Trembling, she moved slowly to her feet, her limbs heavy and aching from the length of time she had spent kneeling. “I could fetch the water in and then strip down so I can work. That way no one will see 83

Deed Wife me out there.” He can’t truly expect me to go out naked in the middle of the day like this, can he? He’s not that cruel. And if someone else sees me like that? Oh lord have mercy. “After the way ye spilt a load of water but yesterday? I didnae think so. Now strip for me, I’d have a good look at ye before I head out.” His fingers pressed into her chin, threatening to leave bruises in the wake of his touch in the moment before he released his grasp. “And be quick about it, lass, I’m nae minded to wait on ye pleasure.” She shivered fully, her jaw aching from the tight hold, heat marking a path across her cheeks as she grasped the hem of the shirt. Why did he do this to her? Worse still, why did her body react in such a terrible way? With the tone of his voice, the grip and the humiliating order she was left with a heat that coated her inner walls and teased her nipples into firm ripe buds that craved his attention. “What happens if someone sees me?” He had to understand how foolish and dangerous this was. He would be exposing her body to the entire world. Well, maybe not quite that many people, but if even just one person saw her in such a complete state of undress, she would never be able to recover from that. “You told Donald you wouldn’t strip me off like that, as I hadn’t done anything to deserve that treatment.” “And as I said, this is punishment and a lesson combined. Ye carelessness has brought this down on ye. So if ye didnae want this to be a regular occurrence, then ye will learn to pay attention to what 84

Terri Pray you’ve been told to do, won’t ye? Now, if it’s a woman, ye run inside the cottage and hope they are nae of a mind to whip the skin from ye back for displaying yeself in such a manner.” He chuckled, tugging the shirt over her head before she could protest. “And if it is a man?” She tried shaking her hair down over her breasts, hoping to gain some measure of protection from his gaze. Outside it would be pointless; the breeze would catch her hair, and each step would bare a little more of her nude form. “What do I do then?” He paused for a moment, brushing aside her hair. “Well then, I could make ye kneel before him, naked as the day ye were born, silent and submissive until he walks on by. Of course, I’d have to teach you how to kneel properly, with your thighs spread and your sweet body exposed in so many different ways that it’s doubtful he would be able to pass you by without taking advantage of you.” Her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she listened to him, shaking her head softly, unable to voice her concerns at his suggestion. Her mind raced. A thousand images of dark-eyed men and screaming women flashed through her thoughts. Her throat threatened to close, mouth dried out as she stood there, naked as the day she was born. “Ah, but then I might well have to fight to get ye back, and as much as I love a good fight, it would nae be for the best right now. So ye will do the same should ye see a man. Run inside the cottage, and hope that he doesnae follow ye for whatever reason that 85

Deed Wife might spring to mind upon seeing ye bonnie form stripped and apparently willing for his pleasure.” “But if he follows me?” She finally forced some life into her voice, even if the words were little more than a terrified squeak. “What do I do then?” He leaned closer, tangling his fingers into her hair, a grip tight and harsh that forced her onto her toes and a gasp from her parted, trembling lips. “Well then, if he follows ye in, ye kneel and hope he will be done with ye soon enough, but nae before I have the chance to return and make sure he nae seeks to steal ye from me.” “Can I not hide somewhere?” Soft strands of hair broke under the pressure of his grip. “Nae, my girl. Ye will stay and do ye best to please him, for he is a free man and ye nothing more than a Deed Wife, a piece of chattel that best remember to be pleasing to any man that I deem has the right to touch ye. Or any man with the strength of will to take ye for the moment when I am nae around, for I didnae wish to deal with rumors and backstabbing remarks concerning my lack of training when it comes to my newest piece of property. Ye have nae rights, best ye recall that.” “Yes, Sir. I’ll remember that.” How could she do otherwise? Where would she be able to run? The cottage was small, and lacked even a basic root cellar from what she had seen so far. Unless there was an entrance to one at the back of the cottage, or it had been dug away from the small building. “Good. And when I return, well, perhaps I will be in the mood to show ye a little more of what life 86

Terri Pray serving me will be like for ye.” His free hand traced across her breasts, teasing at her firm nipples before he forced her head back and claimed her lips. He growled against her mouth, forcing her lips apart with the firm pressure of his tongue even as he pulled her tight against his body. Fear melted away under his touch and she shuddered, balanced partly on her toes, held up by his grip and the steadying presence of his chest. Heat blossomed between her thighs, a need growing in her body that she now understood would be satisfied only by the presence of his erection buried within her aching walls. What had she become that she now responded to him with such an obvious desire? His tongue delved between her lips, stroking against hers, seeking to probe fully into the confines of her willing mouth. His breath mixed with Marion’s, his fingers sliding through her hair until he gripped the back of her neck, holding her tight to the deepening kiss. The rough nap of his kilt brushed against her thighs, his shirt teased her already throbbing nipples with the promise of touches that never came. Her hips rocked, pressing tight to his body, thighs parting as she shifted on her toes, each move bringing a slight hint of pain via the grip on the back of her neck. She needed this, wanted this and so much more. Her bottom tightened, recalling the touch of his hand against her cheeks only a few short hours before. Those hands that had held her so tight and yet tenderly earlier in the day, those ones that even now hinted at the ability to tease soft whimpers and 87

Deed Wife hungry cries from her heated lips. Without warning he ended the kiss, pulling back from her lips, leaving her whimpering and seeking more from him than he was willing to grant her in that moment. She struggled to move closer to him despite the grip on the back of her neck that now forced her back two steps, creating a chasm between them that felt far larger than the small distance she knew it to be. “Now see to your chores, my lass, I will be back when I have finished with mine.” “Sir, please don’t go.” The words fell from her lips as a soft plea. “I need ye, Sir.” Oh, how she needed him. “Why should I stay? Do ye need me for something, or do ye seek to taste me a little further?” His gaze held hers firmly. “Oh, I know the heat that has been brought to life in ye sweet body, lass, I can smell the results, but it is I that will say then when and where that need will be answered, nae ye.” “But please, you can’t leave me like this.” She twisted, trying to close the gap between them. What had he done to her that she now craved him to such an extent, willing to almost debase herself to feel his lips against hers once more? “I need you, Callum. I don’t understand it, but I need you. I won’t let you just walk out and leave me in such a state. It’s not right.” His hand slapped through the air without warning, cracking against her face with a force that sent her stumbling back to the floor. Her gaze vanished in a reddened haze, blood touching her lips, but instead of fear or anger emerging to wipe out her hungers, the 88

Terri Pray desire she felt towards him increased a hundredfold. Whimpering, one hand pressed against her aching cheek as she looked up at him. How could he have struck her like that? “I warned ye, lass. I set the pace, nae ye. Didnae ever forget that.” His dark gaze glittered, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. “Yes, Sir.” She tried to hide the fire that even now thrust a dangerous path through her trembling body. The taste of her own blood added to that need when it should have sent her cringing back from him, afraid and disgusted at her reactions. “I won’t forget again.” “Now get on with the chores, girl. I will be back soon enough and should ye nae be finished with the work I have set ye, then ye will be treated to a punishment that ye will nae enjoy. I will march ye through the village naked and bound on the end of a rope leash.” His gaze lingered on her nude form, trailing slowly over her thighs across her stomach until it came to rest on her full breasts. “A part of ye might like that, until the first of the village women threw something at ye, remember that. There would be women there, nae just the men looking at ye shame.” “Yes, Sir.” Marion lowered her gaze quickly, trembling at the thought of what those women would do or say to her, should he force her to walk through the village in such a manner. “I’ll not let you down again.” “See that ye don’t.” He remained for only a few minutes longer, letting his gaze linger on her naked body before he turned and walked out of the cottage. 89

Deed Wife Was it her imagination, or had it taken more than a little effort on his behalf in order to make that move out of the room? She couldn’t be sure, but it had certainly appeared that way. Even with his warnings, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be dragged through the village leashed and naked in such a manner. He had infected her with some sort of illness, that much was certain, for only a few days ago the thought of such humiliation would have left her quivering in fear, ready to beg to do anything in order to save herself from such a fate. Wouldn’t she? She frowned slightly, watching the now closed door. What is wrong with me that I would even think about such things with anything but sheer terror? I don’t want that to be done to me. I know I don’t. Yet… Had she really changed that much? Had that sickness always been a part of her, or had it been something he had seen and the very reason he had claimed her for a Deed Wife? No, he had made it blatantly clear that his choice had been based on her father’s actions. A way of keeping him from moving into an open rebellion. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see her father being part of a plot against the Clans. It just didn’t fit with what she knew of the man. He’d supported them, even opened up possible trade ideas on more than one occasion, so why would he have dared to risk doing something to overthrow them? It certainly wouldn’t have been to protect a 90

Terri Pray daughter he had paid very little attention to unless she was doing something that needed correcting. He wasn’t that type of man. As much as she didn’t like to admit it, her father was greedy. He wanted money, power and more of both than any man born south of the border was likely to gain. Still he had done his best to acquire what he could and had used his connection with some of the Clans to further his interests on more than one occasion. Another reason why the thought of him trying to help over throw the stranglehold of the Clan structure was almost ridiculous. Unless he had seen it as a way to gain more power for himself? Be a leader in some new order that would control both countries? Was her father really that besotted with power? Yes, and you know that to be true in all ways. He’d sell his entire family and soul if it meant gaining one more ounce of power than his next-door neighbor already had. She still didn’t want to think of her father involved in something that could launch a war across both countries and perhaps across the sea into Ireland and beyond. Not that it mattered now. She had been pulled into a situation where nothing her father did would be revealed to her until it was well underway. Callum had seen to that. He had claimed her, and now she stood naked in the small cottage, ready to tend to the chore he had set before her. Only when she heard the gate beyond the cottage close did she finally push herself up onto her feet and 91

Deed Wife let her gaze move over the inside of the dwelling before she focused on the kettle. With a groan she walked towards it, quickly confirming that she would have several hours’ work ahead of her if she wanted to get the kettle clean before he returned home. That would leave no time for her to stand around dwelling on his touch or the heated reactions that his cruelty brought to life. Water to haul, the kettle to clean and a small meal to force into her unruly stomach if she wanted to have the strength to deal with the coming day, it all meant she had more to do than stand in the middle of the cottage waiting for him to return. Not exactly what she had in mind for her new life, but neither did she have the chance to fight back against his wishes. Not unless she truly did want to find out what it would be like to be paraded naked in front of the locals.

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Chapter Eight er shoulders, back and thighs ached from the work. The small breakfast had done little to sate her growing hunger, but once she had eaten, Marion had then dived into the waiting work. Three buckets of cold water later and a half-hearted job of boiling up a fourth bucket had resulted in a clean kettle, but at the cost of several skinned knuckles and a body that now complained at the hours spent bent over the iron pot. At least it had finally been completed, and she didn’t think there was any way he would be able to complain about the state of the pot now. Why couldn’t he have allowed her to leave the kettle to soak overnight? At least that might have made her task easier. Stupid chit, he wanted to teach me a lesson, why on earth would he have made that easier on me? He made that all too clear. I need to learn my place with him before I disgrace him in front of someone important. Why would he be foolish enough to pass up a chance to enforce my newfound position on me? Why indeed? She glanced out towards the door, partially left open to allow a through breeze, hoping to see some sign of his impending return. Nothing. There was not so much as a distant figure on the horizon, though she could see the small tails of

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Deed Wife smoke that trailed upwards from the village. With a wry smile, she looked down over her water and grime-stained body. Perhaps it was just as well he had not as yet returned, as she desperately needed a few minutes to clean up. Knowing Callum, if she didn’t make some effort to tidy up, then he would only use that as another excuse to name her both lazy and now ill kempt. Bah, she could do nothing right as far as that man was concerned. With weary steps she hauled the now empty bucket back outside. It shouldn’t have mattered how she appeared to him but more than a part of her wanted him to be at least content with her appearance. Foolish. Despite the circumstances and his less than gentle ways, she could not deny that she was drawn to him. Of course I am, he took my maidenhead and I’m still dreaming of a happy ever after with him. Did I knock myself on the head on the trip here? Or am I just wrapped up in the hope that there will be something more between us once he understands me a little better? As if that was ever likely to be a part of her life. Deed wives did not get the chance to enjoy their time with their chosen men. If they were lucky they didn’t find themselves worked into an early grave by the over-demanding and strict Highlanders. Some might be fortunate enough to be paired with a man who at least, on rare occasions, considered their needs, and the small time she had spent with him in the bedroom suggested that she would at least enjoy most of their intimate moments together. 94

Terri Pray If nothing else, once the bedroom door was closed and the world beyond that piece of wood faded from memory, she could sink into the dreams and delights of his touches. Until then, she would just have to accept that he wanted her to work hard, not disgrace him and never forget her place as a mere Deed Wife. Not that she would ever be given the chance to slip up on that. She lugged the cold water back into the cottage, setting the pail down on the floor before she went hunting for a cloth and some fresh soap. It took a while, but she finally found a small sliver of lavenderscented soap that did not look as though it had been touched in a while. Why he would have such a thing in his home she neither knew nor cared, but instead settled down to wash herself off, relieved that she had something other than the simple harsh lye soap to clean her aching body. Her shoulders throbbed with knots in places she had not known existed on the human body before today. If she had hurt after her journey to reach the cottage, now her body all but screamed with the fresh sore spots. She tried rolling out her shoulders to ease them a little more, only to be rewarded with a sharp tug through the protesting muscles. Wonderful. If she hurt now, what would she feel like come the morning? Perhaps the Highlanders were right and her people were lazy, or some of them were. She hadn’t exactly been used to physical labor before today. Her days 95

Deed Wife had been spent learning to read, to write, and in the womanly arts her father had permitted her to learn. Fortunately, that had included both sewing and cooking. Even a well-bred woman born south of the border needed to know her way about a kitchen, in case they suffered the same fate Marion now endured. With a low groan, she hauled the dirty water outside and tipped it back out, shivering as the breeze played over her still-damp skin. Her nipples crinkled into hardened tips, skin tightened across her full breasts as goose bumps marked her flesh. She set down the bucket for a moment, wrapping her arms about her body, soft strands of hair playing across her shoulders as she enjoyed the fresh air. For that moment it didn’t matter that she was naked in the open air, or that someone might see her and comment, or worse, try to take advantage of her vulnerable situation. The cares of the day eased with the soft breeze and welcoming scent of the Highland flowers. Her mind wandered all too easily in the quiet of the garden. Would he return soon and find her standing there? If so what would he do? A soft shudder played through her body at the thought of his gaze wandering over her form, his fingers teasing across her tight belly then down between her thighs as his other hand held her hard and fast by a grip at the back of her neck, or in her hair. She whimpered, thighs pressed tight together, heat coating her inner walls as they rippled in need, almost able to feel his erection forced between them, 96

Terri Pray filling her with a brutal hunger that she knew lingered within Callum. A wanton. A lightskirt. Whore. Slut. She had heard the words cast at other women before now, but never thought such terms would apply to her. Yet now the thought of someone calling her those terrible names sent a thrill through her willing body, instead of the flush of shame she should have felt. The sun was already low in the sky, though there would be an hour or more before night truly touched the countryside and then she would be alone in the darkness. Only now did she understand how long Callum had been gone. She frowned, scanning the horizon for some sign of the man. Where had he gone? He had said that he wouldn’t be long, but between scrubbing out the kettle, eating her small meal and washing herself off, the best part of the day had easily left them behind. Worse still, there she now was, standing naked in front of the cottage, searching for him the same way she might have done for a cherished lover. Heat touched her cheeks at the thought and she turned, hurrying into the cottage. The shirt, she knew it had been put to one side before she had begun work on the kettle. He’d just dropped it on the floor after tugging it from her body—not the wisest of ideas—or perhaps a test, to see if she would leave it 97

Deed Wife there where it could easily become soaked from a spilt bucket of water. If so, she had passed the test and picked it up, leaving it draped over a stool through the day where it could come to no harm. Unless a sprite decided to play a practical joke on her, but even then she hoped she would have the chance to shake the shirt off and repair any damages to the cloth before he returned. Repairing the dress was almost out of the question. She needed new material to make a decent job of it. There were full-length rips down one of the seams, and the hems needed re-stitching. The quick search through the cottage had shown that there wasn’t enough thread to make even a half-hearted attempt at the repairs. So until he deigned to either bring her some new clothing or the materials needed to mend her dress, she was reduced to wearing the shirt or remain nude for the majority of the time. With a low whimper, she pulled the shirt back on over her body--even that hurt. It pulled on her shoulders and upper back. Her arms felt heavy, almost as if they had been made from lead or stone. She could not recall a time when she had ever hurt this much. Not even the throb from her still-weary feet compared to what she felt now. But dwelling on it would not ease the ache, nor help her to heal up. Instead, she turned in front of the crackling fire, running her fingers down the shirt, smoothing it a little more into place. Her skin was still damp in places and forced the shirt to cling to her curves, outlining her form as she turned slowly in the center of the cottage. Would he 98

Terri Pray find her appearance pleasing in some way? She hoped so, if for no other reason than they might finish what he had started before he had slapped her. She glanced towards the door, frowning. Late. He was later than he had said he would be. Had something happened to him? Her stomach knotted at the thought that he had been hurt. That happened more times than she was comfortable with. Even before the troubles the Highlands hadn’t been the safest of places, with struggles between the Clans and the occasional attempt at rebellion. More than that, though, were those that sought to steal from their own kind. What if he had fallen victim to one of those men who lived off the backs of others? Highwaymen, footpads, Reivers as they were called elsewhere along the border. But surely those had faded from existence with the power now in the hands of the men of Scotland? No, she didn’t need to waste her time thinking about that. It would do her no good in the long term, and pacing certainly didn’t help. Besides, it would have served him right if he had fallen prey to some footpad. It couldn’t happen to a better man. Maybe he had been beaten to a pulp after insulting someone? Or he had been waylaid for the money he might have been carrying on his person? Strange, the more she thought about that, the worse she felt. Her stomach knotted, the urge to sick grew almost out of control. The only thing that stopped her from throwing up was the understanding 99

Deed Wife that she would have been the one who would have to clean it all up, and before Callum walked back in. An image flashed through her mind. One she tried to shake almost as quickly as it formed, but it proved too powerful to simply wipe away. Callum, she could see him in her mind’s eye as he lay bleeding, dying and half stripped at the side of the road, covered in blood and dirt from a battle with those who had managed to overpower him. Unable to move, to call for help, doomed to spill the last of his life’s blood into the rich Highland dirt. With a whimper she moved towards the door, her fingers closing on the latch, half ready to dash outside and begin to search for him. Marion pulled back, shaking her head. No, she had to get that out of her mind. It was a foolish fancy, nothing more. He would be fine. He’d been kept longer than he had planned originally, and would return soon enough. Besides, even if there was something wrong with him, she didn’t know where he was, or how to find him. She had nothing to wear but a ruined dress or a shirt, both of which left her well and truly exposed to anyone she might meet. And her feet protested at the thought of taking more than a dozen steps at a time. There had to be something she could do to keep her mind from tormenting her with such foolish nonsense. She chewed slowly on her bottom lip as she looked around the small cottage. The fire burned low in the hearth, there was the bed to make up, the floor to sweep. They weren’t things she really wanted to do, but at least this way she could be kept busy. 100

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****** Where was he? He had been gone entirely too long, and her voice of good sense had turned in for the night, leaving Marion with only the fire, the shadows on the walls and her over-active imagination for company until he returned. If he ever returned. She’d swept the entire cottage, fed the fire, cleaned and tidied the small bedroom, wiped down every surface she could find and lit the lamps, checking them for oil before the last of the daylight had faded, and there was still no sign of him. Those images of him dying at the side of the road were becoming more realistic with every passing moment. She didn’t even know what time it was. She had searched high and low through the cottage for some sign of a clock, but to no avail. How did he manage to keep track of time without a small clock? Surely he had the money to purchase one. Or did he keep one only in his main house? The cottage was, after all, nothing more than a spare piece of property he used once in a while when he had work to attend to, or for whatever reason he spent time out here. She hadn’t seen him engage in any business. But he might have done that before she had arrived. There was no telling just how long he had been staying here before she had all but stumbled her way to his front door. She settled down at the side of the fire, basking in 101

Deed Wife the warmth and trying to find another way to keep her mind from summoning up the terrible images she had been plagued with over the past few hours. What was his real home like? Or would she ever see it? She glanced around the cottage. What if he wanted to keep her out here, a shameful piece of his life to be half hidden from the rest of the world until such time as it suited him to do otherwise? Lord have mercy, of course she would see it. He would be back soon enough, then come the morning, they would make the trip to his home and all would be well. He would be able to show her around, introduce her to his family and his friends. She would be dressed in clothing that would cover more than the brief shirt now did, and beyond that she could only guess. A soft chuckle formed at the back of her throat. Introduce her to his family and friends, indeed. Well, perhaps he would, but on her knees, the same way she had been forced to serve and greet Donald. Still, even that was better than being stuck here wondering what had happened to the big oaf. A soft click carried through the night air, the sound of wood slapping back against wood. The gate? She tensed, pushing to her feet, her gaze fixed on the door. Her fingers tangled in the shirt she wore, her heart pounding. Perhaps she had been mistaken and it had just been the wind blowing at the gate. Still, she could hope. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours before 102

Terri Pray the door to the cottage finally opened up and he walked in, carrying her chest. The very one she had been denied permission to bring up to the cottage herself. Though now she was glad she had not had to haul it up from the loch on her own. The chest was dropped down to the floor with a loud thump. “Well, didnae just stand there as if ye have seen a ghost, get the water on the fire. I’m chilled and could do with a warm drink, girl.” She blinked before turning quickly towards the hearth. “Sir, I was worried when you didn’t come back earlier. I feared that something might have happened to you.” “I was delayed.” She could almost feel his gaze burning in her shirt covered back. “Matters of business. However, I didnae believe ye would be concerned about my health, lass.” He nudged the chest across the floor before settling on the chair at the side of the hearth. “Ye are like any other of ye kind and would be glad to see the back of me, of that I didnae have a doubt.” “No, Sir, it wasn’t like that. I wouldn’t have anywhere to go if something happened to you.” She shifted her weight on her feet as she filled the small copper kettle with water and hung it over the open fire. “And what would I do now that I am here in ye world, Sir?” “Ah, ye have a point. I had nae looked at it that way, lass.” His voice took on a softer tone. “Ye would be a little lost if something happened to me right now, wouldn’t ye? Be a different matter if we were at my family home, or if ye knew anyone around here, but 103

Deed Wife right now ye dependant totally so, on my mercy.” Or lack thereof. “Yes, Sir. But it was more than that, even if you don’t believe me.” She moved back from the fireplace, settling down on her ass on the soft but well-worn rug that she had shook out as part of her cleaning spree. “And what reason would I have to believe ye, lass? Even if I knew what ye reasons were, ye are still a stranger to me, and a new Deed Wife who might say anything in order to gain some respite from me down the line.” He shrugged, watching her closely. “Though I am pleased with the work ye did today. The kettle is clean?” “Yes, Sir. Very clean.” She glanced down at her water-weathered fingers. More than one nail had been lost in her attempt to scrub the pot fully, but at least she had left him without room to complain. “And the rooms are clean, I see. What made ye put ye time to such use?” She hesitated a moment, almost ready to tell him that she had been trying to please him, but the lie was an uncomfortable one at best. “I needed something to do, Sir. The worry about you, not knowing what was going on, I fear my mind was all too willing to torment me with less than pleasant images, so I did what I could to keep them from becoming too much to bear.” He didn’t speak, but watched her as the fire heated up the water in the bright copper pot. Flames reflected in the sides of the pot, sending waves of colors dancing over the clean, shining sides. She bit 104

Terri Pray into her bottom lip, watching him partially through lowered lids. What was he waiting for? More information from her? “I kept having images of you dead or dying by the side of the road, having fallen victim to footpads or highway rogues.” She murmured, looking away from him quickly. “Foolish, I know, but I didn’t know what else to think. And the more I tried not to see you like that, the more graphic the images became.” His gaze narrowed a little more. “And what gave life to these images?” “Stories, I guess. The way some people go missing when they are late coming home. Besides, I’ve heard tales of everything from fae-born creatures roaming the Highlands to highwaymen working in packs trying to take for themselves that which they were unable to earn. Or unwilling.” “Your homeland has more of those than this place, though there are some creatures that call the area home. Nae ones that ye would like to meet either in daylight or the quick of night.” He spoke softly, almost gently as he explained, “I’ll teach ye more about those dangers as the days progress. But tell me truly, would ye have cared if I had been found dead?” She faltered for a moment, trying to form her thoughts into words. Even though she knew that she would have missed him, or thought she did, explaining that to him after such a short time together simply didn’t feel right. Unless...had he used some sort of magic on her to make her crave his touch, or desire to be near him? “Well?” He pressed 105

Deed Wife “It won’t make sense. It doesn’t to me, so why would it to you?” “I didn’t ask if it made sense, I asked if ye would have cared?” He leaned down, resting his elbows on his knees. “And I would like an answer from ye, my lass.” She rose quietly, using the fact that the water was now boiling to gain a little more time. Yet even as she poured the water into the small brown pot, she could feel his gaze following her as she moved across the cottage. “Yes, I would have cared, Sir.” “Why?” “I don’t know, not really.” “Try and explain it to me, then.” He spoke softly as he took the mug of tea from her hands. It wasn’t the fine tea she had tasted now and then at home, but a soft herbal mix, no doubt formed from the very flora of the lands around the cottage. “I think—I’ve come to need you, in an odd way.” “After only one day?” He challenged, lifting one eyebrow. “Yes, I don’t know how, unless you’ve used some of that damn magic to enthrall me.” What am I saying, I’d have known if he had used that. I sense it every time someone uses a spell or even a touch of magic. That’s not failed me yet. “Ye tread on thin ice there, lassie. Why would I need to use magic on ye, and have ye so much as seen me use a spell to light a candle since ye arrived? Or can ye even recall a time where I used something that might be classed as magic?” The color drained from her face and she quickly 106

Terri Pray moved to her knees, the shirt rising on her thighs as she looked at the man that now controlled her life. “No, Sir. I haven’t. I don’t—I mean, I don’t know.” At least he doesn’t know that I can feel it. If he did he’d be tanning my ass right about now. “Well, I haven’t used any. Nae on ye, or ye family at least.” He leaned back in the hand-carved chair, taking a small sip of the still-warm tea. “Are you able to use any?” “We all have the magic in our blood, that’s what they tell your people isn’t it? That we are nothing but devil-spawned beings that have sold our souls to the fae, and now use their godforsaken magic for our own causes. Keeping the honest men and women of England under our boots.” A wry smile twitched at the corners of his full lips. “It is partially what they say about your people, yes, Sir.” Sir, the title had all but stuck in her throat the first time she had used it to one of the Scotsmen. “But I’ve learned that stories might sometimes be just that, stories. That they were tales to frighten children or keep men and women from asking too many questions.” “It doesn’t seem to stop ye, lass.” “No,” she admitted, moving back to her knees in front of the fire. “So ye need me, in what way? As a protector from the likes of the villagers, or perhaps men like Donald?” “Yes...no, it’s more than that.” “Ah, ye need my touch, is that it? Have I left ye wanting more? That wee kiss we shared before I went 107

Deed Wife out did seem to suggest such a thing.” Heat surged through her cheeks, turning her a rapid shade of crimson. “Is it that, or something else?” “It’s that, Sir.” She lowered her gaze, shoulders bowing as she tried to shake her hair over her face, to look away, shift on her knees, do something, anything that would help hide the sudden shame that now threatened to claim her. “Good, then I was nae mistaken about ye.” He set the mug down on the stones at the edge of the fireplace. “Come here, lass, kneel between my thighs.” He pointed to the spot in front of him, parting his thighs so she could ease in close. The kilt rose a little higher on his legs, and she knew from watching him that morning that he wore nothing beneath the woven tartan garment. She edged close between his legs, trying not to squirm as she caught a glimpse of his cock beneath the material. He nodded, reaching for the edge of her shirt, catching it at her shoulders and tugging it over her head. She whimpered, trying to grab it before he could strip her fully, but the quick, stern look soon put her attempts on hold. “If I wish ye buck naked, then that is the way it will be, do ye understand that?” He tossed the shirt to one side. “Yes, Sir.” “And ye can drop the Sir routine, almost feels like ye are using that to avoid speaking my name. Ye my bed mate.” “And your property. Would you prefer it if I called 108

Terri Pray you Master, then?” She squirmed slightly, trying to avoid the brush of the tartan against her body. Yet there was no avoiding it. Each breath brought her back into contact with the woolen kilt. It teased at the sides of her breasts, her nipples ached to be touched, her thighs parting a little as she tried to keep her place between his legs. “There will be times when ye will need to call me Sir, when there are others around, but when we are alone I see nae reason to be that formal. Ye can call me by my name, unless the occasion warrants it.” He reached out, brushing his fingers through her hair. “Marion, will be easier at times to call ye by ye name instead of lass or girl. I’ve been lax in that, I am thinking.” Using each other’s name, being less formal? He had not long past told her to remember the proper terms of respect when addressing him. Was this another trick? She frowned a little, peering at him through half lowered lids. “I was told a Deed Wife never addressed her owner by name. I know I slipped up earlier in calling you by name, and you corrected me on that.” “Aye, normally they didnae do that, but it is my wish. Ye will take note of my wishes, lass.” He leaned down, cupping her chin with firm fingers lifting her gaze upwards. He didn’t speak for a moment; his gaze holding hers with a dark grasp that refused to let her look away. Something flashed within his coaldark eyes, a hunger that she recognized and responded to with a soft, barely heard whimper. “Though when I am putting ye to use as befits a lass 109

Deed Wife that I own, ye will call me Master, is that clear, lass?” A deep shiver ran through her body. Master. A term used by a slave to their owner. Her mind screamed a silent protest at the word and when it would be required from her. Yet her body reveled in the idea, heat building rapidly between her thighs, coating her inner walls, her stomach rippled, skin tingling as if she had been touched in a thousand places at once. “Yes, Sir. I understand your wishes, and will try to bear them in mind at all times.” “Good, for I will nae tell ye again and if ye slip up, well, then...” His grip tightened on her jaw. “I will then be forced to punish ye.” “I understand, Sir.” Even though he had told her to call him by name, it didn’t feel right to do so at that moment. His grip tightened further on her chin, forcing a soft gasp of pain into life as she squirmed between his thighs before he finally released his hold on her trembling form. “Good.” The single word dropped his voice into a low, cold and harsh whisper. “Now there are other matters ye will attend to. Lift my kilt.” Fear gripped her heart at Callum’s words. Trembling she reached out, catching the edge of the woven cloth in her fingers, lifting it upwards until she could clearly see his cock, hard and throbbing as it half rested on his thigh. Only the heavy weight of the material had prevented her from seeing his arousal any sooner. “Ye will pleasure me, girl.” “Yes, Sir,” she murmured, her gaze locked on the 110

Terri Pray length of his cock, her mind blank at what to do next. “I know ye were a virgin before I took ye, but surely ye must have some clue of what to do?” His gaze fixed on her face. “Ye must have heard women discuss such things as how to please a man?” She shook her head quickly, still holding on to the edge of the kilt. His cock twitched under her gaze, heat flushing across her cheeks. Her body tightened, inner walls clenching at the memory of how he had filled and stretched her so completely. “Ah, wonderful.” He growled, shaking his head sharply. “I have to teach ye even the basics of how to be a woman. I never realized ye kind were so backwards. Did they shelter ye from everything of that nature, my lass?” She nodded quickly, chewing on the inside of her lip. She’d heard so very little of what could happen between a man and a woman, and had been sent away to her room, or pulled back from conversations that might have taught her a little more about such things. The topics weren’t suitable for a woman of her status, or so her father had told her. “Touch it lass, with ye fingers. Stroke it softly.” He took the edge of his kilt, pulling it back to rest about his waist, the thick folds bundled there leaving his erection exposed fully to her view. “Ye should be petting it gently at first.” She nodded, swallowing hard. Would it jerk under her fingers? What would happen if she touched it with too great a force? “Well, didnae just sit there like a lump, touch it! It will nae bite ye, lass.” 111

Deed Wife No, but it might do something else, and she had no idea just what that something else would be. Nervously she leaned forward, brushing her fingertips lightly down the length of the already hard member. The skin felt soft, his cock warm beneath her touch as it twitched, trying to press into her slowly exploring fingers. “Ah, that’s it, lass, stroke it softly.” He groaned, his grip closing on the arms of the carved wooden chair. “Move ye fingers up and down my length, explore it, touch the skin, pull back the extra and look at the head. Remember how it felt when it was inside ye, how ye arched beneath me and welcomed my touch.” Oh, her body recalled the delight of that exploration, even if it had come under force and not at her wish. She still ached a little from where he had broken through her maidenhead, and the work she had put in since then had only served to increase the ache in her strained muscles. But now, as she stroked softly along his engorged cock, her own aches and pains faded into the background, replaced by a soft throb that washed through her inner walls. His eyes closed with her soft touches, hips rolling as he pressed up to meet her gentle strokes. A low moan of pleasure filled the air when she closed her fingers about its girth, squeezing. “Ah, yes, more of that, lass.” More of what? She glanced down at her hand. She had closed her hand about his cock fully, fingers touching her thumb, his member now pulsing in her grasp. Did her body do that to him, when he had been buried within her core? She squeezed again, firm but 112

Terri Pray not too hard, only to be rewarded with another moan of delight. Slowly she began to stroke it again, this time with her hand still closed on him. “Good, more of that.” He groaned, lifting up his hips as she held him. “Stroke a wee bit faster, my lass. The full length of my cock. Gods, that’s it.” She smiled, edging further between his thighs, cupping the soft sack that hung from the base of his cock with her free hand. Soft skin, wrinkled beneath her fingers, and she could feel the two hard balls within the sack. With a gentle touch she explored their weight, stroking his cock with her free hand as he struggled to keep from thrusting up into her touch. She glanced up at him and smiled. He groaned softly under her exploring fingers, his face a mask of bliss, lips half-parted, his breath coming in soft, whispering gulps. His eyes were still closed, the thick dark lashes now brushed the upper curves of his cheeks and his hair fell half about his face in sensual disarray. His fingers tightened on the edge of the chair, knuckles white. Did he struggle for control? From her novice caresses? If so, what would he be like when she learned a little more in the ways of bringing men pleasure? No, not men in general just this one man, this Highlander who now owned her in more ways than she wanted to accept, and worse than that she had admitted to him that she needed him. Cared for him. Had grown to need his touch. I’ve turned into a whore for his pleasure and with nothing more than a one-time turn between the sheets. 113

Deed Wife What will I do for him after a week or more in his care, or a month? She was no fool to think that this was the end, and feared what depths she would plummet to if she did not find a way to keep her body under control. The answer was a simple one, and she held it right within her grasp now. Her grip closed a little more on his cock as she watched it throb in her hand. Beads of moisture glistened on the head of his erection, his sack tightened under her other hand, hips rocked forward, surging into her touch. What would make him feel even better? The head of his cock called out for attention. But both her hands were already in use, how was she to please him there? Nervously she leaned forward, touching the head of his cock with the tip of her tongue, licking softly at the small beads that had gathered at the slit. He all but cried out in delight at her gentle touch, the sound urging her onwards. Her lips closed about the head as she circled her tongue about the throbbing head, suckling it into her mouth. He groaned deeply, reaching out to tangle his fingers in her hair, pulling her further down on his cock. For a moment she struggled, fearful he would cut off her air, only to relax as he simply held her on his erection, giving her a little time to become accustomed to the new intruder in her mouth. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, her throat threatened to close even though the head of his cock had not even nudged against the back of it and her panic levels soared until she realized he was not 114

Terri Pray going to move until she was ready. Slowly she calmed down, feeling the throb of his erection within her mouth, the beat of his pulse through the hardened length. She trembled, forcing herself to breathe normally, then slowly touched her tongue against his erection, feeling it throb insistently under her hesitant caress. “Take ye time, lass,” his voice a husky whisper. “I’ll nae rush ye. ‘Tis a skill ye need to learn, and I’m willing to be patient with ye on this one.” His fingers tightened in her hair, gripping painfully close. Shards of white-hot pain lanced through her scalp, and she whimpered into his full erection. Her inner walls responded with a needful clench of their own. Heat coated her walls; the small bud at the top of her sex throbbed deeply, almost matching the taut ripple of his cock. “Gods, nae I need to let ye take ye time on this as I said I would.” With a shudder he released his hold on her hair, gripping the arms of his chair instead as he leaned back. She needed that grip, the small pain, though she was loath to tell him such. No, better that she did not disclose to him how that extra rush of sensation left her feeling, or the hungers it awoke within her. Even without the intimate conversations with her age mates or other women from her home, Marion already knew that what she was feeling was not normal. No, not normal at all. Better to keep such hidden as much as humanly possible. She whimpered, circling his cock carefully with her tongue, taking hold of the base of the tight erection 115

Deed Wife with one hand, her free hand returning to cup his sack. Slowly she suckled him deeper into her mouth, tasting his passion as it grew and coated the end of his cock. Each touch of her tongue, lips and fingers urged him further on. His breathing, ragged gulps for air; sweat coated his upper lip, hands tight on the arms of the chair as he struggled for control. “Ah, my sweet lass, a little more. Gods, that’s it, a little more of that.” She smiled, peering up at him through lowered lashes, wrapping her tongue tightly about his shaft, teasing into the small slit with the tip. Yes, this was how she could control him, through her skills. Her fingers tightened and released on the base of his cock, matching the throb in his body. “Cannae hold on much longer.” He pulled from her grasp, taking hold of her by the shoulders and forcing her back onto the floor. “I see nae a reason to wait now, either. Nae when I have ye right where I need ye.” His knees parted her thighs easily with little more than a nudge. Without thinking she welcomed his weight against her naked form, the shirt he still wore brushing against her tight nipples, the nap of the kilt caught in the soft triangle of curls that covered her mound and his lips covered her mouth, claiming her. She groaned, arching up to meet his kiss, lips parting to welcome his tongue, shuddering beneath him as he stroked slowly within her mouth. She needed him, Lord, how she needed him. His cock brushed against her inner thighs, urging 116

Terri Pray them to part a little further. Her heels pressed to the floor of the cottage, hips lifting upwards to meet his probing touch. Would it hurt the way it had earlier in the day? Not that it mattered anymore. She had to have him back within her body. “Hungry, are ye?” He chuckled, resting his weight on his hands. His features remained half hidden by the long dark tendrils of hair that framed his face. “Ye seem that way, my lass, though I’m of a mind to feast myself now. Ye woke a might need in me and with ye willing body beneath me, I see nae reason to torment myself in the waiting.” She blinked, looking up at him, her words little more than a whisper. “I am yours, my Master.” “Aye, ye are.” He thrust into her body, filling her in an instant, her walls rippling as they fought to adjust to his sudden invasion. “Ye belong to me at least in body, but soon it will be more, oh, so much more than ye can possibly imagine, my lass. My Marion.” More? Her mind refused to grasp that, or even think about it. All she knew was the feel of his hard cock within her clenching vulva walls; a delight that forced sweet moans of pleasure into life as her hips rocked to meet each deep thrust into her core. “Move, girl, move under me, let me feel ye.” He growled against her lips, pulling back from the kiss. His dark gaze flashed with a hunger she knew also existed in her own weak body. “Rock with me, let me know ye enjoy my touch.” He lowered his lips to her throat, nibbling, suckling down the length of her pulse as he pressed deep into her eager body. 117

Deed Wife Her skin tingled, taut and alive in a way she had not known could exist before that morning. Her thighs closed on either side of his hips, heels pressing into his ass and she lifted upwards, welcoming his cock fully into her body. Slowly she tried to circle her hips, rocking on his cock as she attempted to show him it felt good, only to be rewarded with a new wave of delight. His kilt was bunched about his waist, his shirt partially open at the chest and she could see the small curls of dark hair that decorated his firm chest in the flickering light of the fire. She whimpered at his thrusts. Her body curled against his, thighs closed on either side of his hips. Sweat beaded on her body even as he shifted and captured one ripe nipple between his lips, suckling it into his mouth with a low groan of delight. Her breath caught in the back of her throat, fingers tangled in his long hair, holding him to her breast. Her nipple throbbed under the sensual caress of his tongue about the crinkled pip of flesh. Was this how it had felt when she had wrapped her tongue about his cock? She had no way of knowing and she was fast beyond caring now. Her vulva tightened further on his cock, her body no longer hers to control as she arched to him, rocking with each thrust into her firm body. She shuddered beneath his body, whimpering, one hand sliding down from his hair over his back, her nails catching on the back of his shirt. Time had no meaning. There was only pain, pleasure and his body merged with hers. “Cum for me,” he growled against her breast, teeth 118

Terri Pray half pressed into the base of her nipple. Pain rocked through her body, yet she didn’t care. His weight pinned her to the floor, yet nothing mattered beyond the pleasure she now knew under his caress. Betrayed by her own desire, but she neither cared nor wanted that to change. There was only here, now, this moment with his body between her thighs, his cock throbbing against the tight, slick walls of her sex. “Cum for me now, my pet, my lass.” He lifted up from her breasts, his gaze locked with hers. Even through the daze of pleasure and small pain she could not tear away from his gaze. She whimpered, trying to dig her nails into his back, one hand so tight on his hair that she feared it would break under her grasp. Pleasure surged through her body, her body no longer her own, no matter what she did she could not stop the place she was being pushed towards. She cried out, a scream that echoed against the walls of the cottage, spots danced before her eyes, her grip on reality gone in a heart beat. Nothing mattered but the waves of emotion that rushed through her veins. Sensations that threatened to tip her over the edge into the abyss. No, she couldn’t go there. She’d never return from that. With a cry of terror, she tried to squirm out from beneath him, desperate to escape the fate he pushed her headlong towards. “There is nae escaping this, my lass, go with it and surrender to it.” Surrender? To the darkness that rushed up to meet her? 119

Deed Wife Never. “No, please. I don’t want to…” She struggled under him, each twist on her hips on serving to push her closer to the edge. “Ye have nae choice, my lass.” He leaned down, silencing her protests with his lips. She tried to scream out, but the edge of the cliff crumbled under her feet, sending her head first into the maelstrom of delight. Her nails threatened to break as she clutched at his shirt, her scream filled his mouth even as he roared against her lips, thrusting deeper into her body. Pain and pleasure combined, her fears only adding to the delight that now ruled her senses. “My lass.” He proclaimed with a cry that filled the room. “Yours, Master. Always yours.” She sobbed, tasting the salt-heavy tears that now coated her cheeks. “God forgive me, I am yours.”

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Chapter Nine aylight filtered through the simple curtain, sending small spots of light dancing across the floor. How long they had lain in the main room she hadn’t been sure of, but he had eventually pulled free from her trembling and sweat-covered body only to then tend her in a way she had not expected. With a gentleness she found hard to believe, he had aided her in washing the sweat and sex from her skin before he had carried her into the bed without a word. That silence had continued as he had crawled into the bed next to her, pulled her against his chest and fallen quickly asleep. Something she had greatly wished she had been able to do herself. But sleep had been an unwilling companion, and she had spent the best part of the night staring into the darkness, trying to will herself into some form of rest. Now her eyes felt as if they had been coated with sand and although he had not woken nor made a move from the bed, she stared, blinking slowly, at the ceiling once more, almost afraid to fall back to sleep in case he awoke and decided she was being lazy again. Her body ached from the time they had shared in the main room. Small scuffs marked her back from where she had struggled beneath him, her thighs ached and her inner walls still shuddered from time to time in the aftermath of his touch. How could she

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Deed Wife ever try and control him with her body when he was able to leave her shaking for hours after their shared pleasure? His arm tightened about her shoulders, holding her close to his still sleeping form. He didn’t need to be awake in order to remind her that she belonged to him, and she doubted he understood the full depths of the affect he managed to have on her. Perhaps that was just as well, it had been bad enough trying to explain things to him when he had pushed for an answer the day before. If he knew just how ill at ease she felt right now, he would only smile and be all too pleased with himself. Damn him for the arrogant bastard that he had proved himself to be. No, she would not let him find out. Marion frowned, replaying the events of the night before. How he had all but squirmed under her touch to his cock. The way things had grown intense when she had touched it with her tongue and lips. Was there more in the way of such skills to learn? There had to be, she had barely taken him more than an inch or two into her mouth and had teased him in a very uncertain way. Her skin tingled at the memory of his body pressed to hers, the way he had parted her thighs so easily and pressed into the tight confines of her vulva. Heat flashed into life across her cheeks at how she had given up any pretense of a fight at his touch. Perhaps she was a wanton after all? If so, then she needed to learn how to put that to good use. 122

Terri Pray It would not do to let such a chance pass her by. Marion glanced over the man who lay next to her, his arm wrapped about her body, continuing to hold her close despite her desire to crawl away from him and find a place where she could quietly go over her options. Who was she trying to fool? Right now her only option was to obey him and see that he remained pleased with her, or she would be punished for it. Not something she wanted to face again so soon. Though her buttocks tightened at the memory of his hand cracking against her ass, the memory of the pain, the control, how her body had desired so much more from him flashed through her mind once more. Had he really punished her, or just taught her a lesson? The swats to her ass had hurt, but she had seen the strength in his body. The blows could have been so much more than he had inflicted on her, yet he had held back. She frowned, shaking her head a little as she tried to make sense of her warring emotions. He had called her to live in the Highlands without even asking her. Taken her maidenhead, yet he had taken pains to make sure that in doing so he would not hurt her too badly, which was more than some English husbands managed from the little she had heard about such things. He made sure she was fed and had given her something to wear whilst she had been waiting for her trunk to be brought up from the docks. So the shirt hadn’t covered everything, at least it had been better than wandering around stark naked. 123

Deed Wife He wasn’t a cruel man, but he was a firm one. He did at least try to do things that would prevent her from being hurt, or sick. Perhaps there was a little bit of goodness in him? She bit back a small chuckle. Only the day before she had been ready to name him a cruel bastard who cared for nothing but his own pleasures and needs, but the few brief glimpses she had seen beneath the veneer of the Clansman had given her something to cling to. She glanced over at the man who lay next to her. A mistake, and she knew it. Asleep, his features softened more than a little, long dark lashes brushed over his cheeks, a smile played over full lips, his chest moving gently with each breath. Callum was a handsome man in every meaning of the word, but that didn’t stop him from being her owner under the laws of the Deed Wife. It didn’t prevent him from being cruel when he needed to be, or someone who would drag her back up by the scruff of her neck if she stepped out of line. The grip on her shoulders eased and he mumbled, turning over in his sleep, a low soft snore carried into the morning air. Exhausted. Well, he’d carried her chest up from the village, and done whatever else that had kept him away from the cottage for most of the day. She should, at least, find a way to thank him for bringing her clothing up. Now she’d be able to wear something other than his shirt, unless he commanded her to continue using it. Her soap, brushes, all the small things that she had 124

Terri Pray missed since she had entered the cottage, were kept in the small chest, along with two extra dresses and a night shirt and a throw over pinafore that no doubt would be put to a great deal of use with the chores he would set her to. Not much of a trousseau, but when she knew she was being sent to a Highlander as a Deed Wife she had not expected anything else from her family. The luxuries of a full trousseau were kept for those women entering a respectable marriage, not ones sent as slaves to men in order to keep the peace. Marion glanced towards the door, then back at the sleeping man before she carefully eased from the bed. She had work to do this morning if she was going to try and keep him happy, and more than a part of her now looked forward to those small chores. Perhaps things would go easier for her if she learned to put his breakfast on in the morning and the water on for his tea. Would she continue to make breakfast for him in his proper house? No doubt he had servants to handle such matters, and she had no idea who else lived in his main house. Obviously there would be other people there. Still mulling over the possibilities that she would face once they arrived at his home, Marion slipped out of the bedroom on bare, silent feet, pulling on the shirt once she had entered the main room. Mists still lingered on the moors, sliding between the low bushes of gorse and heather. Shapes formed in the damp, white slithers that rolled and slid along the ground with a life of their own. For a moment she didn’t move, but stood there, watching the morning 125

Deed Wife mists. Was it her imagination, or did something real live in those odd shapes? For a moment, she could have sworn she could see a pair of vivid green eyes staring back at her through the unearthly shapes. Just her imagination? She shivered, wrapping her arms tightly about her body, willing the uncomfortable sensation to leave her in peace, but it only grew with every passing moment that she stood in the garden. The beasts and fae creatures he had promised to tell her about? What if one of them wanted her for themselves? As either a plaything or a meal? She had heard the tales of humans seduced by the fae beings. Those fortunate ones—or cursed souls, depending on who was repeating the story, lived out the rest of their lives trapped in the mists between this world and the true home of the fae. Rarely even able to look into the mortal world again, yet they didn’t care. They were so wrapped up in the sensual delights of their immortal lovers that anything else faded into the background. How could anyone fall in love to that degree? She looked over Callum’s sleeping face. What would she have done if faced with the choice of staying with him forever or never knowing his touch again? Isn’t that an option she already had? Stay at his side or flee now whilst he slept? Marion shook her head softly, brushing back a stray lock of hair from her eyes. No, trying to escape would put her at the mercy of the very creatures she had been thinking about in the first place. Her stomach knotted, fear lifting the hair on the back of her neck. 126

Terri Pray No, he would protect what belonged to him even from the fae magic that now roamed the Highlands without fear. She had seen the look of possession in his gaze, that growl in his voice, the very way he touched her spoke of the way he would never willingly let her go. With a shudder, she filled the pail with water and headed back inside. She tried to shut out the uncomfortable feelings the images in the mist had brought to life and focused on her chores. The small kettle she then set over the fire, which had needed building back up from the embers that remained from the night before. With that done, she was then free to start his breakfast. Her stomach rumbled, a sharp reminder that the small bowl of porridge had been the only source of food she had been allowed the day before, and now she felt the lack sharply. There had to be something else in the cottage foodwise; a man could not live on porridge alone. Though she had little doubt that he had eaten when he was down in the village. Her painful trip through the gathering of cottages and buildings had allowed her a brief glimpse of an Inn. Did it serve food, or only beer? Not that she would be able to wander down there and get something to eat. She searched through the small cupboards, pulling out a small sack of oats, those she’d found the day before, a sealed tin of real tea, the wax unbroken about the edge, a small sack of flour, a smaller one of salt and not much else. All right, so it was obvious that these were foods that would keep no matter 127

Deed Wife what, but what did he do for real food? Hunted, perhaps? Ate with friends? There had to be an answer. Still, it didn’t help her right now. She had to get something on for a meal for him, and porridge was better than nothing at all. At least it would show she didn’t need to be told to do something and he had seemed to be pleased with her work in the cottage the night before. With the water on and the oats added with a little salt, she settled down in front of the fire, watching the kettle carefully this time. The lesson was well learned on what happened if she made the mistake of being careless. The cottage was comfortable, for all that it was small and lacking in supplies. With a little more care in stocking the kitchen up, it would have been a welcome retreat for months to come. At least until the weather turned, and winter began to form its grip upon the land. The peace and quiet was a welcome change to the town house she had grown up in. As she sat in front of the fire, watching the kettle, stirring the porridge from time to time, she almost forgot that it hadn’t been her choice to move to the Highlands. “Tis a pretty sight ye make down there, my lass.” His voice smoothed over her, wrapping about her senses like fine silk. “I thought I felt ye move from the bed and had half expected to see ye sulking in a corner. Instead, I see ye making breakfast.” “Well, just sitting about would have done no good, Callum.” She smiled softly, peering at him beneath the veil of her own hair. “Running away, sulking, 128

Terri Pray doing nothing, those are things that would have just angered you, why would I risk such a thing?” She pushed back to her feet, easing the kettle of porridge from over the heat and pouring a cup of his herb tea before dishing out a bowl of the salted breakfast. “Hm, ye wish me to believe I have ye tamed?” “No, Sir. But I know which battles are worth fighting.” She carried the bowl and mug over to him. “And which would gain me nothing more than a reintroduction to your hand on my ass, or worse, the switch. I mean no offence, Sir, but I tasted the switch too often as it was, long before I was sent here.” “Ah, so this change of yours has nothing to do with the way ye squirmed in my arms?” His gaze locked with hers as she moved to her knees, offering him the food and drink. Strange, only the day before she had protested at serving him in such a manner, now she did so without complaint. It almost felt natural. Once again, she wondered what had happened to change her mind in such a way. Not magic, he had made that clear and even now she had not seen him use even a small spell in her presence. “Well, maybe a little, Sir.” Heat flushed across her cheeks, her gaze quickly lowering, saving her from having to look directly into his eyes. Did he have to do that, bring everything back to the subject of how she reacted during their intimate moments? “Perhaps I understand that I don’t have a choice and I just want to make the best of things the way they now stand?” He nodded taking a sip from the tea before setting it to one side. “And why porridge again?” “Because you only have oats, salt, tea and flour in 129

Deed Wife the cottage, Callum.” She smiled slightly, almost tempted to look back up at him. “Is that so?” “Yes. I searched through the cupboards here, I couldn’t find anything else, Sir, and I did look.” “Well, I was nae aware we were down to so little in the way of supplies. If we were going to stay beyond today that would be something I would have to tend to, but as we are leaving as soon as we’ve broken fast it doesnae matter so much. So grab yeself a bowl, lass, and eat up.” He gestured towards the kettle of porridge; his smile and the soft light in his otherwise dark gaze took the sting from his words. “Be quick about it, lass, I will nae wait around for ye all day.” She nodded and darted away to grab a small bowl of porridge. It might not have been an ideal meal, but it was at least filling food and would keep her going for the trip to his home. With the small bowl in hand, she settled down on the floor near his feet, digging into the warm breakfast. “How far away is your home, Callum?” “A good day’s ride, lass.” She nodded, glancing towards the small chest. “And will I walk, or ride?” “I have a horse and a mule, ye will be on the horse behind me, Marion. The chest and a few other things will be carried on the mule. If ye walked, it would take far too long and I am nae in the mood to be on the road for a week or more.” “I don’t remember seeing those yesterday. The animals, I mean.” She frowned a little, looking towards the door. “Where were they hidden?” That 130

Terri Pray would have made sense. If she had known where they were, she might have been tempted to run from him, or so he no doubt believed. “You wouldn’t have done, I brought them back from the village last night.” He leaned down and ruffled her hair. “Ye didnae miss much, do ye? Then again, I would nae have picked a blind woman to be my companion. And I do plan on having ye around as more than a pretty thing to wake up to every morn.” “I try not to, Callum. Especially around you.” Good, then she hadn’t lost her touch and missed some sign of the animals. For a moment she’d been a little concerned about that. “Good attitude to take.” He nodded, setting his already empty mug to one side, gesturing for her to eat up. “That way ye are less likely to miss something important. Just remember to keep that attitude up when we reach my home.” His home, not hers. The pain that wrapped around her heart was both real and fleeting. There was no point fighting something you simply couldn’t change. Women in her situation could not own anything in their name. They could only ever be property once they stepped north of the border. With a slight shake of her head, Marion tried to turn her mind to thoughts of other things. “I saw something, or at least I think I did, out there in the mists this morning.” “Aye, such as what?” “A pair of green eyes, and shapes. Nothing I could truly say was a person, or a beast, but it was there. I know it was.” Oh, she had more than known, though 131

Deed Wife the sense of magic being used had been fainter than it normally was and the sensation slightly different, more like a feather caressing her skin than the needling she was used to, it had still been very real. “The fae, then, or one of their kind. Checking on ye, nae doubt. ‘Tis their way when someone new enters one of the quieter areas of the moors. You’ll see them a lot more when we return home, but ‘tis something we will speak more of when we are settled, lass. We have a long way to travel today, and almost not enough daylight hours to complete the journey.” “Will I be allowed to wear real clothing for the trip, Callum?” She finished off the small helping of porridge, pushing to her feet and quickly collecting both his bowl and mug. The cleaning of the bowls and kettle would need to be done before they left, of that she had no doubt, and the thought of seeing his true home put a bounce into her step. Traveling in the shirt would leave her exposed to far too many people. Still, the choice was his, not hers, as he had made all too clear in the last day. “Aye, lass. I’m presuming that ye have a suitable dress in that chest for the trip. I am thinking that ye should have one that will nae tear too easily.” He frowned for a moment, then looked sharply at her. “Have ye ridden before?” “Only sidesaddle.” “Sidesaddle is nae the same thing. Still, we will have to make do. Well, ye will be sitting behind me and will have to hold on tight, my lass. So best ye pay attention and try nae to fall asleep during the trip. We 132

Terri Pray will be setting a hard pace and I have nae doubt ye sweet little arse will object to the motion of the horse by the end of the day. But I will nae slow my pace to accommodate ye. Is that clear?” “Yes, Sir. Very.” She smiled back at him, the shirt half baring her ass as she worked to clean off the kettle and bowls with the water brought into the cottage before he had made his appearance from the bedroom. “I will do my best not to disappoint you.” “Aye, that I am sure of, lass. Now wash up, dress and repack ye chest. We needs be off before the day grows much older.”

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Chapter Ten

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y noon she was ready to call it quits, even if it meant he left her on the side of the road. Her thighs hurt, buttocks ached and all she could taste were sweat, bugs and dirt in her mouth. They hadn’t stopped for more than a few moments since setting off from the small cottage. If noon had left her feeling tired and dirty, by the time dusk settled in, she was barely able to keep the tears from rolling down her dirt-streaked cheeks. The constant background sensation of magic being used had only added to her discomfort. She hadn’t been able to tell if she had been picking up something from the area they had traveled through or he had used something on the beasts. And her mind now refused to make sense of the situation. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he had spoken to her with any measure of kindness, or the men and women they had passed during the trip had not seemed to instantly know that she was not one of their precious Clanswomen. Instead of the smiles and waves, or the called out greetings that they offered Callum, she was treated with cold silence or worse— the catcalls and insults that left her cheeks burning with a shame she had no way of hiding. It wasn’t her fault, or the fault of her generation, yet she was punished for the problems of the past 134

Terri Pray never the less. In time, that might change. Or so she hoped. But the odds of her living to see that happen were slim. Too many enjoyed the current setup, and not just those north of the border either. Her father had made that part very clear. There were men and women who used the situation as a quick way to make some money, selling out their families, friends and anyone else who stumbled into their grasp. Would one of them betray her father? Or had that already happened? No, she would have been told about that. Callum didn’t appear to be the type of man to keep information like that hidden from her. If nothing else he would have told her so she didn’t stumble across it another way. “We’re almost there, lass,” he called back, the pace never appearing to slow down. She’d never known of a horse that could keep going all day the way this one had. Or the mule that followed. Magic-aided perhaps? It would have been one explanation for the ever-present needle and pins across her flesh. Not that she cared anymore. She just wanted a place to rest. A bed, or mat on the floor. She needed the time to sit on something that didn’t move and wouldn’t rock or jar her weary body, a blanket to wrap up in and perhaps something to eat, if he was in a generous mood. “I hope so, Sir.” Despite the fact no one else could hear them, she reverted to the more formal address. “I’m tired. More so than I ever thought I could be. The trip north had been bad enough.” “Aye, just like a lass of your kind to complain 135

Deed Wife about a wee trip. I had hoped ye would show a mite bit more stamina than this.” She bit into her bottom lip. Snapping at him would have been both stupid and dangerous. Instead she leaned against his back, her arms already numb from the trip. The wind had left her hair a tangled mess, her dress sweat-marked and dirty, and she wanted nothing more than a long, hot bath, but she would have settled for a bucket of warm water, a cloth and some soap right now. Would he let her enjoy such a luxury, or put her to work the moment they arrived? No, he had to know how much she hurt after the trip. Marion peered over his shoulder, searching through the gathering darkness for some sign of life. Small lights flickered in the distance, a shape forming from the shadows, large enough to be a house of some size, or a castle. She couldn’t be sure right now. More than one story, three perhaps, no four. So a castle or tower of some sort. Either way it would be better prepared for long-term living than the tiny cottage had been. Lights also meant that someone else was already there. Food, warmth, a place to rest that didn’t move. Lord how good that sounded right about now. She’d have been willing to settle for a pile of hay in the stables if it meant being able to sleep in peace. A small shiver ran through her body at the thought of meeting anyone else in her current state, but it was better than riding further on into the night. The horse appeared to pick up speed beneath her, turning fully 136

Terri Pray towards the flickering lights of the growing shape. A warm meal, water to clean off with and a bed, if she were truly lucky. A cot, a blanket on the floor. She no longer cared just what it was, as long as it didn’t whinny. Such things felt like luxuries right about now. “Hold on, lass, it will nae take much longer now,” he murmured, his voice almost gentle after the way he had spoken to her moments earlier. She didn’t know what to make of him. One minute he was content to be snapping her head off with a snide remark, the next trying to bolster her spirits just when they were about to crack completely. “Thank you, Sir. I wasn’t sure how much longer I would be able to hold on. I’m sorry I don’t have the strength you were hoping I would show. I’m just not used to this type of trip, but I will be better prepared for the next time.” If there was a next time. “A long ride, I know that. I am used to doing such on my own.” He shrugged a little, but offered nothing more in the way of apology as they rode in through the open gates. They swung closed behind the mule, but she couldn’t see who had closed them. Only the slight tingle at the back of her neck let her know that it had been magic that had worked to shut them. In her state, she was lucky to feel that on top of the constant background buzz of the spells in use during the trip. Did they use it more openly here? There would be time enough to discover that over the coming days, and she was sure that there would be plenty of chores to keep her busy as well. 137

Deed Wife “They know we are arriving soon, lass. And know just who ye are, but ye will nae be ill-treated here. Punishment will come from me, and only if ye have done something to deserve it.” He pulled the horse slowly to a halt, the beast trembling a little beneath them. The large stone walls towered above them, double doors of wood, iron bound served as the entrance. Carved gargoyles sat at either side of the steps that led up to the doors. She blinked a little, staring at the entrance. Was this one of the rough hovels that she had been led to believe the Highlanders lived in? “And the poor beastie needs a wee rest himself.” “You used magic, Sir?” “On the animals, aye. They would nae have been able to do the trip in one day if I had tried to do it without that aid.” He slid down from the back of the horse, then helped her down, her body screaming its protest at the length of the journey. “I’m thinking I should have used a little something on ye from the way ye are now moving. Ye have nae spent such a length of time on the back of a horse before, have ye?” “No, Sir. Not more than an hour or two before now.” She admitted, rubbing the small of her back. “I didn’t think the trip would be without breaks. Though I’m not complaining, Sir. Truly I’m not. I know it had to be done.” Her gaze narrowed on the gargoyles. Maybe she’d been on the road too long but she could have sworn one of them had just blinked. He nodded slightly. “Well then, let’s get ye inside.” She wasn’t about to argue with that idea, not when every muscle in her body screamed out with the need 138

Terri Pray to curl up in a hot tub of water, then collapse on a soft mattress. A couple of blankets on the floor might have worked equally as well, just as long as it didn’t move and her body was given the chance to recover. “Aye, Sir. I’m far more tired than I realized, enough to be seeing things.” “Oh, such as what, lass?” Marion nodded towards the two stone creations on either side of the door. “I could have sworn that the one on the left just moved.” “Maybe he did, they do from time to time.” Marion felt her jaw drop, mouth opening as she stared at the stone figure. Callum pressed one finger beneath her jaw, closing her mouth even as the gargoyle rolled his shoulders, then gave her a deliberate wink. “They are fae-born creatures, lass. Always were, just they hid it before that battle. Seems they have always been around, watching over us.” How many others are like this? Beasts of stone, but in reality, watchers from the mists? Have we walked in ignorance for most of our lives? “My Laird, ‘tis good to see ye again.” The new voice pulled her sharply back into focus in time to see that the doors had opened without a sound and there, framed by the lights that blazed in the hallway, stood two figures. One male, one female, but it was the man that spoke. “We had word that ye would be here tonight, but had almost given up hope. Ye didnae do the trip from the cottage in one day, did ye?” “Aye, that I did, but I had good cause.” “Of that I have nae doubt. The girl?” 139

Deed Wife “Aye, better that she learns more about me and my lands whilst in my true home than in the cottage. Besides, the place was nae stocked for a long visit.” “Ah, I knew there was something I forgot to see to, but with the raids on ye cattle it slipped my mind. I hope it was nae too much of a bother for ye?” “Nae, just porridge for a few days, plus what I managed to eat down at the inn, but the lass is in need of a decent meal and a bath, if the way she is moving is anything to go by.” He nodded towards her. “Robert, this is my Deed Wife, Marion. She arrived but two days ago now. She’s still learning our ways, or rather my ways, but hasn’t made too much of a hash of it as yet.” Had it only been such a short amount of time since she had entered the cottage? In all honesty, her mind remained blank on such details. Hard to imagine that so much had happened in such a short length of time. “Well then, lass, I am sure ye will do us proud when ye have learned a little more about the Laird and the ways of his home.” Robert turned away from her almost as quickly as he had turned to speak to her in the first place. “The trunk, my laird?” “Hers. I want it carried up to my chambers. The animals taken to the stables and tended to. They have been pushed hard and fast and need tender care. The bath?” “The tub will be readied in ye room. Towels and fresh clothing for ye both?” Robert spoke with a softer lilt that Callum did, but that almost seemed forced by the way he clipped some of his words. “Aye, though the lass will bathe in the chamber. I 140

Terri Pray wish a second bath readied for me in the kitchens. I’ll listen to your report on what I need to know tonight.” Callum reached out for her, taking her by the arm. “And I will show her the way to my chambers before I speak with ye further. There are matters we need to attend to before the night is over.” “The kitchens? But there’s nothing so urgent that they can nae wait until the morn.” “If I believed so, then I would nae speak of dealing with them this night.” Callum frowned. “However, I’ll still take that bath in the kitchens, less work for the lasses to pull water up those stairs. Then we will be in the great hall before the end of the hour. Sooner, if the water is delivered to both casks quickly.” “Aye, my Laird. As ye wish it.” A small frown crinkled the older man’s brow. “Brianna, make sure there is soap and fresh towels ready for the lass and the Laird. Then hurry to the kitchens. They need good hot food in them tonight.” “Will she be coming to help out?” Brianna stood framed in the light from the hall, her bold bright gaze fixed on Callum. “She is here to serve, isn’t she?” “Nae tonight, but soon enough, Brianna. The lass has had a long hard day of it, and she is but human.” The loud snort that followed the woman’s sharp turn of heel made it all too clear what she thought of that statement. “Please didnae be too angry with Brianna, Laird. She has been looking forward to ye return, but the news of ye lass has left her furious.” Callum shrugged, guiding Marion towards the open door. “She has long hoped that I would look her 141

Deed Wife way. Perhaps now she will come to understand that such is nae to be, though I doubt it. She is a stubborn one.” “Aye, well, she is my sister.” ****** Marion closed her eyes as she sank into the warm, welcoming water of the large wooden cask tub that had been brought into the chambers. Dozens of buckets of water had been needed to fill it, and Brianna had not bothered to hide her distaste at having to lug them up the stairs with little or no help. No, that wasn’t entirely true. Brianna had been aided by two silent, grey-and-white-clad women. Still, that hadn’t lessened Brianna’s dark glower. No doubt she had hated serving the one who should have been doing the work. Or forced to bathe down in the servants’ quarters, using whatever battered and castoff tin bath that was in service downstairs. Callum had waited long enough to make sure Brianna had not spilt the water or done something else that would ruin the bath before slipping out of the room and leaving her to it. A kindness? No, she wasn’t about to believe that. He had work to do, that much she knew. Business that he needed to attend to before they could eat. Still, whatever it was that took him from the room, she wasn’t going to question it. A short time relaxing in the water and her body no longer screamed a protest with every breath. Steam curled upwards from the cask, not as hot as she liked, but she wasn’t about to complain. Slowly 142

Terri Pray her muscles uncramped; herbs had been added to the water designed to help her body recover from the trip. Herbs, or something more? She had no real way of knowing, but whatever it was, her body slowly recuperated. In her state, she couldn’t even tell if the tingling across her flesh came from the use of magic or the sheer, bone-weary exhaustion that threatened to send her to sleep in the tub. “Ye will nae claim him. So ye can get that thought out of ye mind now.” She frowned, opening her eyes at the woman’s voice. Brianna. “I don’t seek to claim him.” “Aye, ye do.” Brianna slipped fully into the room. “Ye cannae look at him and not seek to claim him as ye own. Though ye must know it will never be allowed. Ye are nae of the Clans, and nothing more to him than a passing amusement. Will be a woman of breeding that will be chosen as his true wife, to grant him an heir or two, bairns that will follow him about the castle. A woman he can love and grow old with. And that is never something that a piece o’ shite like ye could ever become.” Marion twisted a little in the tub, watching the woman move into the light. Slender, graceful, her hair hung as a dark loose mane about Brianna’s hips, brushing over them with each soft step. A dirk had been fastened at her waist, though for now it remained sheathed. “That is for Callum to decide. Not you, milady.” “Ye dare speak his name like an equal. I should have ye whipped for such insolence.” Her eyes blazed, lips pressed into a tight thin line, her beauty 143

Deed Wife vanishing, covered by a mask of hatred and anger. “Ye are nothing to him, to us. Ye are a woman meant to be nothing more than a slave, and I will see ye blood feed the moors before I let ye ruin the Laird.” “Ruin him?” What was the woman talking about? “Aye, encourage him to turn away from the Clans.” Brianna sat down just out of range, sliding the dirk from the belt at her waist. “I’ve seen how he has changed since he started talking about taking ye as his Deed Wife. But I never thought it would go this far. I’ll nae allow ye to continue to damage him. I’ll nae let ye ruin the line that has stretched back before the memory of most of the Clans. His family is a strong and powerful one, richer than a dozen smaller Clans combined with wealth to spare after that and lands men have died to keep. Nae, ye will nae take what is rightfully mine, not even if I have to skin ye alive in order to keep that from happening.” Marion’s frown deepened. What was the woman talking about? “I can assure you he has not gone soft, as you call it, milady. You have nothing to fear in that regard.” “And how would ye know?” “Because he’s made it very clear what will happen if I disobey or disappoint him in any way.” The woman had set off a dozen sets of alarm bells in the back of Marion’s mind, and she could feel her own shoulders begin to knot. Brianna scowled. “And why should I believe ye?” “That’s something you need to figure out. For heaven’s sake, what reason do I have to lie? He beat my ass for stepping out of line the very first night I 144

Terri Pray was with him. Maybe you and I have a different perspective on life, but that didn’t feel like him being soft with me.” So that wasn’t entirely true, it had been the following morning. “He’s been firm with me from the very beginning. Now I don’t know what’s going on, or just what you seem to think I’m up to, but I’m not here of my own free will. I’d rather be back with my family. However, I don’t get a say in that. If he were weak, or softhearted, or had eased up on me, or changed, or whatever it is you’re accusing me of being behind, don’t you think I’d be on my way home by now?” “How the hell would I know, ye could be planning something. Hoping to use his momentary lust for ye to ye advantage.” Brianna glowered. “Just be warned. Whatever it is ye are up to, I’m nae going to let ye get away with it. Callum is a good man, a proud Clansman and nae pale-faced weak-minded southernborn lass is going to ruin him. He’s my man. Do ye understand me on that? Mine.” “But I don’t plan on using his lust…” Marion faltered; she had been planning on doing just that. She blushed, shifting a little in the bath, hoping that Brianna would put her discomfort down to the situation. Better to distract her. Marion frantically replayed what the other woman had said through her mind, searching for something she could use. “Look, if he’s yours, why hasn’t he married you then?” “He’s nae ready to settle down, that’s all. Now he can spend some time with ye, I’ll nae stop him from doing that. He’s got some dark habits and needs that are better spent on a slut like ye than a real woman. 145

Deed Wife But listen well to me. When he does claim me for his wife, I’ll nae show ye any kindness. He may want to keep ye around after we are wed, but ye will learn to stay clear of me.” Brianna turned the dirk slowly in her hand, resting the tip against the pad of her forefinger. “Are you threatening me?” “Are ye daft that ye need it spelled out in more detail?” Marion shifted in the half cask, moving up onto her knees as she pressed her breasts to the edge of the tub. The threat of being skinned had already been made clear enough earlier, but she had hoped, if just for a moment, that the woman had just been trying to frighten her and didn’t actually mean to harm her. Now she wasn’t so sure. Brianna’s gaze was dark, narrowed and fixed on Marion, and she could see no hint of kindness within the gaze of the angry Clanswoman. “No, not at all. I’m just making sure that I’m not misreading the situation. You see I’m pretty sure that Cal—the Laird said that no one else would be able to harm me. That as his property, only he would have the right to punish me.” “Aye, that much is true. But I would nae be looking to punish ye, girl.” Brianna’s gaze narrowed on Marion’s slick form, the dirk grasped tightly in one hand. “Let’s make this verra clear to ye so ye can be sure that I am nae just spewing words at ye. Why would I waste my time in simply trying to hurt ye? Oh, no, girl, I’d be looking to kill ye if ye get between me and him.” “And since when did you suddenly gain the right 146

Terri Pray to threaten to kill my property, Brianna?” He stood in the doorway, leaning half against the frame. “The last time I checked, the law, either Clan law or my law, didnae allow for such actions to be taken.” “Callum…” Brianna turned, the color draining from her face. Good, at least the bitch is afraid of someone. “Well, my lass, what excuses do ye have this time for trying to press ye luck?” One dark eyebrow arched, his gaze locked on the Highland woman. “She needed to know where I stand on such matters.” Brianna rose, brushing down her skirts, her face a mask of forced calm and dignity. “Ye know what these women are like, they will take advantage at any chance they get and need to know their place.” “I see.” Callum fell silent, his gaze never leaving Brianna’s face. Why didn’t he say something that would tell the woman how wrong she was? Marion tried to keep calm, but her shoulders knotted quickly, a nest of adders squirming in the pit of her stomach. She pressed a little closer to the side of the half keg, fighting the urge to chew on her bottom lip. If Brianna was allowed to punish her for any small infraction, or just to help teach Marion her place in the castle, then the young woman’s life would fast become unbearable. Marion tried to read the look on Callum’s face, but his expression had been carefully schooled into a calm mask. Damn him, didn’t he know just how dangerous life could be for a woman living on the wrong side of the border? Of course he knew. 147

Deed Wife Callum would see to the problem, she had to believe that. “Well, it is for the best.” He slowly moved out from the doorway, steps near silent. How a man of his size could move with so little sound she had no idea and this was not the time to question him. “Surely you understand why I had to lay down the law to her?” Brianna turned to face Callum fully, her lips twitching in a nervous smile. “Aye, lass, I understand far more than ye may think.” He snatched out towards her, grabbing her by the length of hair, tugging her close before he twisted his fingers fully into the silken strands. With a soft cry, Brianna was forced onto her toes, her back arching, panic chasing the smile from her face. “I understand ye keep wanting to try and force matters between us.” “But Callum, we were promised to each other…” “Aye, that we were, but it was nae something I wanted even then. No one asked me, nae ye or my father. Well, I rule here now, nae him. Oh, didnae get me wrong, ye a pretty lass, didnae think I don’t see that, but ye never have understood where the line was. I am in charge here, nae ye. Nae woman I take to my bed will ever have a hand in ruling this place. They will be here for my pleasure, or to give me the heirs I need. Nothing more.” He pulled her closer, his lips just a breath from Brianna’s. “If it were nae for the care I feel towards ye family, then I would have ye switched from my lands for ye words to my property.” 148

Terri Pray “She’s just a Deed Wife!” Brianna spluttered. “How can ye speak of such things when she’s a bed warmer!” “So?” “She’s a piece of property. What does it matter what I say to her, or threaten her with? She’s a nothing. A slave. She has nae rights.” Brianna tried to pull back from his grip. “I may say what I wish to her, and she can nae do a thing about it.” “Aye, she’s a slave but she’s mine, nae yours.” A dark rage flashed within his eyes. “And she may nae be able to do anything about it, but I told her that she would be safe here, that she would answer only to me. Didnae put me in a position where I am breaking my word. Is that clear, girl?” “Girl? Ye dare to call me girl?” Brianna’s left hand snapped through the air, cracking hard against Callum’s cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the chamber. “That was a mistake.” His voice dropped into a cold, harsh whisper. “I…” “Silence!” Callum snarled, shaking the trapped woman the same way he might have done a disobedient puppy. “I rule here, nae ye. Nae ye brother. Nae anyone else who might have decided that my absence gave them leave to rule in my stead. And when one under my roof strikes me, they pay the price. If ye were a man, I would draw blade and see how well ye dance, but ye are a woman, and will be taught a lesson another way.” He turned on his heel, half dragging, half carrying the trembling Brianna 149

Deed Wife towards the edge of the bed. “Please, didnae be doing this to me, Callum. I’m sorry. I should nae have hit ye, but ye angered me,” Brianna protested, trying to pull free from the harsh grip. “Let me go, and we can forget this entire situation. It will nae happen again, I give ye my word on it if ye just let me go now.” “Ah, ye think I should just let ye get away with hitting ye Laird?” He smiled grimly. “And if another struck me the way ye just did, ye would be crying for their blood. Of that I know only too well. Ye have a temper on ye, lass, and I will nae let ye get away with this. Neither ye brother nor any other in this home would appreciate it. So bite ye tongue and take what’s coming to ye.” Brianna paled, trembling as he pulled her over his lap, one hand closing on the back of her neck. “Please, I will nae do it again.” The dark eyed man didn’t speak as he pulled up the edges of Brianna’s skirts, baring her ass to his view. The full skirts and underskirts had been enough to cover her modesty under normal circumstances, but now with her skirts gathered to her waist, there was nothing to hide her buttocks from view. Marion pressed tightly to the side of the tub, not caring that the water was rapidly growing chilly. The last thing she wanted to do was to call attention to herself and possibly shift his anger onto her instead of keeping it on the one who deserved it. Her heart threatened to pound its way from her chest as she felt her gaze fixed on the struggling young woman. Marion knew only too well what it felt like to be 150

Terri Pray pinned over Callum’s lap, and couldn’t help but wonder if Brianna had been in that position before. “Callum, please. I’m begging ye, didnae do this in front of ye new play thing.” “Ah, and why not, ye hit me in front of her, didn’t ye?” He growled, yet the sound was still little more than a whisper. “So why should ye punishment be hidden from her view?” “She’s a Deed Wife, nae one of the Clans. Ye are dishonoring me.” “Something ye should have thought of before ye let ye temper get the better of ye, then.” His grip tightened on the back of her neck. “But ye never were one to think matters through too well.” “It will nae happen again, I promise ye that.” Brianna squirmed over his lap, struggling to keep her thighs pressed tightly together. “Just please, nae in front of ye Deed Wife.” “And what would ye say if the girl had done what ye did, and then pleaded nae to be punished in front of ye?” “That’s different,” Brianna protested. “Nae, lass, that’s what ye didnae understand. Ye hit me. If she hit me, then she would be facing the same situation. Ye both women, ye both live in my home. Neither of ye have the right to strike me, and both would feel my hand on ye ass for doing so. I’ll nae let ye off for such a crime as this.” His hand lashed through the air, striking hard on Brianna’s firm buttocks. It took a moment for the blow to register but when it did, the color drained fully from Brianna’s face and 151

Deed Wife she let out a scream that filled the bedchamber. “Ah, ye screaming already, lass? Ye have only been given a light slap.” Callum chided and slapped down harder against the struggling woman’s bare ass. Brianna gasped with the force of the blow, a squeal following a heartbeat later. “Now that’s a firmer tap, one ye have reason to let out a yelp for.” Brianna kicked wildly, trying to pull away from his grip. “Please, enough already. I’ll nae do it again.” “It will be enough when I say it is enough and nae before.” Callum traced his fingertips over the woman’s pink ass, smiling to himself. “And I say ye deserve more than two swats for striking me in the face.” He lifted his hand, smacking down suddenly against the woman’s buttocks, six hard blows falling one after the other, barely giving her time to catch her breath in between the new waves of pain. Marion flinched at the sound of the blows, her thighs pressed tightly together, heat blossoming between them despite the chill of the water. Her hips rocked, pressing to the side of the half keg, nipples hardening further with each new crack of hand against ass. Her body remembered all too well what it felt like to be shown his strength and ability to keep women in line. Men like him were rare, at least in her experience, and she knew now that he was not one to cross, or try to control. If she had any doubt that she would be able to control him through sex or her body, it died completely as she watched Callum punish the Clanswoman. The sight of the other woman spanked openly 152

Terri Pray should have sent a chill of fear or disgust through Marion’s body; instead, she found herself unable to tear her gaze away. Her body throbbed with each blow to Brianna’s naked ass, heat rippling across her inner walls. Lord have mercy, I want to be in her place. “Please, I’m sorry. It will nae happen again,” Brianna sobbed across his knee. “I was mistaken, foolish for trying to do that. For trying to frighten ye property, and for hitting ye, forgive me, please, Callum.” “Do ye beg to be forgiven?” He released his grip on the back of her neck. “Aye, please.” “Then beg fully, on ye knees.” Brianna blanched, looking up at him from beneath a mane of dark hair. “Ye cannae mean…” “Ah, but I do. I’m nae in the habit of telling people to do something if I didnae wish them to do it.” A smile touched his full lips. “So get on ye knees, lass, and beg for my forgiveness.” Whimpering, Brianna looked up at him. Even from the half cask, Marion could see that the other woman was now caught between wanting to obey him and get it over with, and running from the room. But slowly, perhaps more aware than Marion of how unlikely escape was, Brianna moved from across his lap to her knees at his feet. Her skirts slid back down over her ass, a soft wince slipping from her lips as she settled on her knees and lowered her gaze. Silence settled over the bedchamber; long minutes stretched out without either Callum or Brianna saying 153

Deed Wife a word. Marion tried not to move in the half cask, biting into her bottom lip to keep silent, unable to move her gaze away from the kneeling woman. Why hadn’t Brianna spoken? It didn’t make sense to Marion, but then she had been taught from an early age just what to do if a Clansman demanded that you beg something of them or from them. Yet she didn’t seem to get the message that he wasn’t going to just forgive her without hearing the words. “Well, lass?” “May I go?” Brianna looked up at his question. “Interesting, aren’t ye forgetting something?” He leaned down a little. “Ye were to kneel for a reason.” “I thought that kneeling would be enough, as ye saw fit to punish me in front of the girl.” Brianna jerked her head back towards the half cask. “Have ye lost all ye wits, lass? Ye were a smart one when we were growing up, but now ye acting as if someone has bounced ye head off the floor a dozen times over,” Callum growled, his gaze fixed on the kneeling woman. “I just didnae see why I should have to…” “Do as ye were told. Beg my forgiveness, or I will continue on with ye punishment, lass.” “Ye cannae, it’s been done. My brother will never forgive ye for this.” Brianna pushed back to her feet, taking a rapid step back from the glowering man. “I will nae abase myself in front of ye girl. She’s a slave, a piece of property. Ye have dishonored me with how ye have treated me and I didnae have to take this from ye. I am a free woman of the Clans, nae a blasted 154

Terri Pray piece of slave meat.” Brianna all but screamed the final words, her eyes flashing with what she, no doubt, saw to be as a righteous fury. “Get back on ye knees.” “Like hell I will.” She turned and ran for the door, making it outside before he even moved. Callum chuckled, shaking his head before he glanced over at the now-shivering Marion. His dark eyes held a mirth she had not expected to see there, the smile held a sarcastic touch as he finally pushed to his feet. “Come on, my lass, out of the bath before ye turn into a prune. ‘Tis nae a pretty sight in a woman.”

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Deed Wife

Chapter Eleven

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lowly Marion pulled herself out of the half cask, wrapping the thick and warmed towel about her shivering form, her gaze never moving away from the man who now owned her. Would he turn his anger on her? She had no way of knowing, no way of being sure and the last thing she needed was to suddenly become his target because the real one had taken the coward’s way out. “Ah, lass, ye didnae have to fear me right now. ‘Tis nae ye I am disappointed in. So come a little closer, my lass, ‘tis all right, ye know that.” “I couldn’t be sure, Sir. Not with the fury I saw in you.” He nodded, beckoning for Marion to move closer. “You’ve seen more than a few interesting things since ye became my lass, haven’t ye?” “Yes, Sir. Some of them I never thought I would see. Though please don’t be angry if I say that you have helped me lose some of my fear of the Clansman. Not my respect, just the foolish fear of a child.” She wrapped the towel about her still-damp form, keeping her gaze lowered. What would have happened if she had moved from the towel before he had calmed down? Would she have been spanked as well? Her thighs clenched at the thought of it, though she 156

Terri Pray struggled to keep the heat within her sex from spreading through her wanton body. “Nae, lass, I didnae take offence at such. I’d rather ye see us for who we are instead of the monsters in the night the stories have all but turned us into. We are nae that bad, despite some of the things we allowed to happen in the final battle.” Culloden had been where the tide had turned. Where the magic had been let loose on her people and where the demons let loose by the fae had been seen to rip men apart with their bare hands. Men had come back from that day driven mad with the memories of what they had witnessed. No wonder so many of her age range had grown up with a healthy fear of the men of the Highlands. She only had to look into the eyes of one of the men who had returned from the battle all those years ago or those few that had been foolish enough to cross the Clans since to see the terror that they carried through their lives. Just stories? No, something more, even a few days here has shown me that. If I had ever doubted that magic existed beyond a few minor spells then that has all now changed. “I have heard the stories, Sir. I think most of my age mates have.” She nodded softly, keeping her gaze lowered. “And Brianna will not be happy.” “About you witnessing her punishment, nae, she will nae be, but she should have thought about that before stepping out of line. Besides, ‘tis nae ye fault and if she tries to cause problems for ye, then ye will report them to me. Is that clear, my lass?” Callum pressed one finger beneath her chin, lifting her head up and meeting her gaze. “I will nae permit ye to be 157

Deed Wife the target of her anger. If it means beating sense into the woman a dozen times a day for the next month she will learn to keep from blaming ye for something ye could never have prevented.” Marion nodded, her throat half closed with a fear she tried to keep in check. Callum would not be able to be around all the time, and she was well aware of the furious games that women could play on those they viewed as rivals. Sooner or later, Brianna’s anger would get the better of her and then...well, that would be down to Callum to sort out. Taking action herself wasn’t even an option. “Now, finish drying yeself off, lass, we have a meal waiting for us and ye will need to pull on ye other dress. I’m nae in the mood to have ye strolling down stairs in just a shirt of mine. Nae with the way Brianna has been.” For a moment she almost thought he was about to step forward and hug her. Silly, really. He wasn’t the type of man for such a show of affection. Not without good cause, at least. “Yes, Sir.” She turned with a soft step, the towel still wrapped tight about her form. “Thank you for your kindness, Sir, about the dress, I mean.” “Ah, well, there is nae point using a state of undress as a way of keeping discipline if I force ye into that on a daily basis now, is there?” He smiled and pulled out the spare dress from her small trunk. “Besides, the color will suit ye, I’m thinking, and I’ve a mind to show ye off in my own way tonight.” In his own way? Well, that didn’t sound too bad as long as she kept in mind that he did not mean stripped and displayed. No matter what she thought 158

Terri Pray of him, he hadn’t permitted anyone to take advantage of her situation. She smiled, taking the dress from his hands, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. It would take more than a bath and a clean dress to bring her back into her best condition, but the thought behind his words left her basking in a glow that she was reluctant to try and shake off. “Thank you, Sir. I will do my best not to disappoint you this evening.” “Aye, that ye will, for ye know what will happen if ye step out of line.” That she knew very well indeed. Quietly Marion pulled the dress over her head, lacing it up before smoothing down the full skirts. She hadn’t bothered to ask for the underskirt because she already knew that if he had wanted her to wear it, then he would have passed it to her. A moment later she was brushing out her long, damp hair, working out the snags and trying to make herself presentable. At least the grime of the trip had been washed off, even though it had meant waiting in the cold water for a time. How often will I get the chance to see someone else being punished? Especially someone who would quite happily see me dead and buried, or tossed out with the trash. Bloody woman, she really doesn’t understand Callum at all. No wonder he doesn’t want to marry her. “Much better. Ye look ready to face the meal now, and I will have to make sure ye other dress is washed out. The trip has left it somewhat the worse for wear. Ye will also need some new clothing, but a spare maid’s dress will work for the day and for when ye 159

Deed Wife are attending the chores.” He walked slowly around her, tugging in her waist a little more, then pulling the bodice down just a touch. “Aye, that improves the situation, shows off ye charms a little more.” What had begun as a soft blush turned into a pair of burning cheeks. At least it was still a lot better than wandering down to dinner in nothing more than a shirt. “Thank you, Sir.” “Ye a strange one, lass, thanking me when ye would rather be yelling at me. I know ye didnae want ye body shown off like this.” “Better like this than naked, Sir. And the shirt revealed so much more. Besides, I know what you would do if I did complain, or I think I know.” She glanced up at him shyly. “So it would not be wise of me to forget my manners or forget that I must recall who it is that can control my appearance.” Callum brushed his fingertips across her burning cheeks, smiling. “Aye, that is true enough, but there will be time for such discussions later. For now, we have a much-needed meal waiting for us in the great hall. So best we make our way down there. I didnae know about ye but I am about ready to eat a whole cow, raw, hide, bones and all.” ****** The hall was long and well lit, the walls lined with well-polished oak panels. A dark wooden table and matching chairs had been set at one end of the hall close to the crackling fire. Candles cast their warm light over the table, a dozen or more set in silver 160

Terri Pray candleholders. Good plates and silverware laid out, three places total. Though the strangest thing of all, at least to Marion, had been the sight of a small stool and even smaller table set off in the corner with a wooden bowl, spoon and a stub of a candle to provide a limited form of light for whomever might be exiled there for their meal. “And just what has that table been set up for?” Callum turned, questioning Robert. “For ye Deed Wife, Laird, Brianna said it would be needed.” Robert explained. “It made sense to me. If she was nae going to be sent down to the kitchens to eat, then having the small table set up would give the girl somewhere to dine.” “Ah, I see.” Callum’s eyes darkened fully. “She’s stepping out of line again. Petty way of doing it, but she’ll soon learn that this will nae work either. And if anyone will be using it, then it will be Brianna herself.” “Sir, ye cannae mean it. A woman of the Clans confined to a place of dishonor?” Robert blanched, then swallowed hard trying to keep his anger out of his voice. “She might be a handful at times, but she doesnae deserve that. We didnae do such things to our own women without just cause. And the lass of yours, well, she’s nae a Clanswoman, so what does it matter what Brianna tried to do to her?” “And did she tell you she struck me, and threatened my property?” Callum moved through the hall, peering at the small table. He pressed down against the top with the flat of his hand. “Hm, stable enough. But it has seen better days. I didnae think this 161

Deed Wife has been used much since my father died.” “Well, nae, she didnae tell me about that.” Robert shifted his weight. “I’m sorry to hear that, Callum. I didnae know what has gotten into her of late, except she keeps holding on to this hope that things will improve between ye and her. Foolish I know, but ‘tis how she is. She has loved ye for years now.” “Aye, well, I will nae be bullied. Nae by her or anyone else. I didnae know what ye have been letting ye sister get into whilst I’ve been away, but she’s stepped well out of line. She will be feeling the strap on a nightly basis if she doesnae change her ways, and quickly.” Callum turned back from the small table, nodding towards the main one. “Brianna will have a choice. She can either eat at the small table, or in her room.” “I will let her know.” Robert nodded slightly, the lines about his eyes tightening. “Though she will nae like it. Nae one bit. Still, ye are within ye rights, and she does need to understand that her wild ways need to come to an end.” Marion listened quietly, taking in the large room. Like the rest of the castle, or what she had seen of it so far, the room was well kept. The wood looked clean, polished and smelled of beeswax. The candles were of good quality and didn’t smoke as badly as she had seen others do, the holders had been polished to a high shine and the plates lacked any sign of damage. Linen napkins had been folded at the side of the plates, and a thick rug laid out in front of the fireplace between it and the table. If Marion had had any thoughts that Callum lacked 162

Terri Pray for funds, they vanished upon seeing the castle. The upkeep of such a place would not be cheap, and there didn’t appear to be any signs of corners being cut. “Sit down, lass, by my chair.” Callum pointed to the chair next to the largest one. Red velvet had covered the pad of the carved chairs, adding a splash of color to the dark wood. “I want ye near me tonight, ye have earned it with the trip from the cottage.” Her body recalled the ache from the journey all too well, and Marion smiled in thanks for the kind offer. With her gaze lowered and steps almost silent, she moved to the chair in bare feet. Once she had rested enough, Marion had taken a long hard look at her shoes, only to discover that they were no longer fit to wear after the trip, and in all honesty her feet had protested at the thought of being forced into the leather once more. “Robert, call ye sister into the hall, I would have her present on my terms. And I am nae of a mind to be waiting half the night before she decides she is ready to show her face.” “Aye, Laird. I’ll bring her in myself.” Robert nodded and turned, hurrying from the hall without another word. “This should be interesting.” Callum murmured and settled into the chair next to Marion. “She will be furious at this, but I am nae going to bow down to her whims.” “She loves you, Sir?” Had Callum seen the hatred that had flashed within Robert’s eyes? He had to have seen it. “Love will make a woman do strange things.” “Aye, that she does, or she thinks she does. But I 163

Deed Wife will nae let her use such as an excuse to defy me at every turn.” “But you don’t love her?” Marion knew she was treading on dangerous ground, but she needed to put a few of the pieces into place. Was it love she had seen in Brianna’s face, or something closer to ownership? The same glint she saw in Callum’s gaze at times? No, women didn’t view men as something to be… Damn, of course they do. I’ve seen it often enough, just not in such a blatant manner. “Nae, lass, nae in the way she wishes I did. Brianna is like a younger sister to me, complete with her annoying habits. Nae a lass I want in my bed. Besides, I didnae trust her motives much of the time. She’s nae one that truly understands love, ‘tis more a status and power thing with her.” Callum’s gaze narrowed on her trembling form. “Why so many questions, lass?” “I’m just trying to figure things out, Sir. I meant no harm.” Marion shifted a little in the chair, chewing on her bottom lip. At least he appeared to know some of the other woman’s motives. “I have so much to learn about your home, and I don’t want to end up causing problems for you, or getting in trouble because I didn’t ask the right question.” “Ah, well, that I understand. I’ll answer ye questions as long as they are phrased in a respectful manner. Or I will for the most part. If I tell ye that I cannae answer that or I didnae wish to discuss that with ye, then ye will drop the subject, is that clear?” His dark gaze never left her face and her skin tightened as he watched her reactions closely. “Yes, Sir, very clear indeed.” 164

Terri Pray “Good, I would nae wish to have to remind ye of how things are.” He nodded, then glanced towards the door. “Dinner will be here shortly. Didnae do anything to anger Brianna further, and leave the handling of the wench to me whenever possible. That way she will nae be able to lash out at ye so quickly.” Marion frowned slightly but knew better than to argue with him. “Yes, Sir. I understand, and will try not to say or do anything that would make matters worse.” “Good, I’ll hold ye to that.” Footsteps echoed down the corridor, announcing the impending arrival of Robert and his sister, along with two maids who carried in the platters. The sound gave Marion just enough time to school her expression into a mask of calm as she folded her hands into her lap and kept her gaze lowered. “My Laird.” Brianna curtsied, a calm, confident smile clearly seen across her face. “It is good to see ye in this hall once more.” Only when she came up from the near elegant greeting did Brianna’s gaze take in just where Marion was sitting. “Indeed, I have been gone too long, but that is often the nature of such things when one is working to keep the estates alive and collecting the monies owed to me.” Callum smiled coldly. “Now if ye will take ye place at the small table, I believe we can have dinner served.” “Callum?” The Highland Laird frowned very slightly, his gaze moving from Robert to Brianna and back again. “Ah, I see ye brother didnae tell ye of my decision.” 165

Deed Wife “What decision?” “I thought it would be best coming from ye, my Laird.” Robert explained quickly. “So that she may hear for herself just why you think this needed to be done.” “I see.” “The small table, Callum? But that is the place for servants and slaves such as the girl at ye side. She should nae be using the place of honor next to ye, as if she were an equal.” “Did she nae do the same journey as I did?” “Aye.” “And did she nae obey me in that trip and since she has arrived?” Callum’s tone became marked with ice. “Well, yes. As far as I am aware.” “And did I say that the small table was to be set up?” “Nae, my Laird, that was my idea, as I thought ye had forgotten about such arrangements. It’s normal for a Deed Wife or English-born servant to eat at such if they are granted permission to eat in the great hall.” Brianna’s confidence rang through her words. “I had the right of it, ye have sat her as an equal when she is nae one and in doing so, put yeself at risk. How many will learn of such an act? If even one beyond our home hears of such, then ye will become the laughing stock of the area.” “And ye believe it is your right to protect me from my own actions? My own choices?” “Aye, Callum. It is what a wife does, and one day I know ye will see the error of ye ways and take me as 166

Terri Pray ye bride the way ye should have done years ago. Lord knows everyone has been expecting it of us, especially after we kissed,” Brianna replied. The lesson she had been given in the bedchamber only a short time before had apparently already been forgotten. “That, lass, was nothing more than a mid-winter kiss. Nae a promise of anything else between us, nor will there ever be such a thing. The only one expecting us to wed is ye, and the sooner ye drop that idea from ye mind, the better. I’m tired of trying to explain things to ye nicely; I’m done with ye games. ‘Tis over. We will nae be marrying.” Callum pushed back his chair from the table, gesturing to the maids to set out the meal. “Callum, ye cannae be thinking this through. Who else will ye be able to trust as ye wife, who would bear ye sons and support ye through ye life.” “Interesting. Who said I wanted such? And if I did, it would be a woman who listens to me and obeys me, nae one who tries to rule behind my back. Now ye are banished to the small table. I’ll have nae more of ye mouth this night. If ye cannae eat at that table, then ye will be confined to ye room until such time as I am prepared to speak to ye again. So make ye choice. One night at the servants’ space, the place of shame, or untold days and nights in ye room, alone. Eating from a tray. Ye are now forbidden to leave ye room until I say otherwise.” Brianna didn’t speak, her hands clenching and unclenching rapidly, her eyes dark as she searched the room for some sign of one who would support 167

Deed Wife her, but even her own brother looked away. “Ye would publicly shame me in such a manner?” “Aye, that I would. For nothing else seems to get through to ye.” “Then I will take my meals now and for the future in my room, and wait until ye are ready to speak to me as one born of the Clans, nae a beast from across the border who should be licking the slops from the floor, nae sharing our table as if she were born and raised an equal.” Brianna turned, her full skirts swishing out over the floor as she strode through the hall to the door. “So be it. Robert, follow ye sister and see her locked in her room, then return to share the meal with us.” “Aye, Callum. I’ll see it done.” Robert’s mouth flattened out into a thin line, his own hands tight fists at his sides. His gaze burned jaw tight for a moment before he managed to smooth his face into a mask of calm. “I’ll return shortly.” Did Callum see the fresh depth of anger, the hatred that had blazed for a brief time across Robert’s face? She had no way of knowing if the anger had been directed at Callum or at Brianna, and lacked the ability to find out, at least for now. Perhaps when she had the chance, she might be able to make friends with the women who served in the castle, just as long as she remembered to treat them carefully, and with respect. Servants or not, they were born of the Highlands, and she would forever be a lesser woman in their eyes because of that. The more she saw of Robert, the less she trusted 168

Terri Pray him. But Callum obviously did, and she knew better than to publicly doubt her owner. If she was going to ask him about all of this, she needed to wait until they were in private. Even then, it would mean phrasing the question very carefully indeed. “Well then, this was certainly nae the homecoming I had in mind.” Callum settled down fully, turning his attention away from the doors. “Brianna and I will talk in a few days, after she has had the chance to calm down.” Marion smiled shyly, watching as the two women served the cuts of beef in rich gravy. Turnips had been added to the dish, mashed with fresh butter, and carrots glistened on the side of the plates. Her stomach rumbled at the delicious smells of the food, but she made no move to touch the meal just yet. “Ye can eat, lass, go on.” Callum nodded, but the smile on his face at least let her know that she had done the right thing in waiting for permission from him. “Ye need some decent food in ye after the past few days. Ye didnae do too bad in preparing the porridge, but it’s nae something I would have ye live on unless ye were under punishment.” Better to be on the safe side than end up punished for something stupid. God knows I’ll end up in trouble often enough as it is. By the time she had taken her first few bites of the dinner, she had already forgotten the stresses of the day. After two days of porridge and several days of traveling both to the cottage then onto the castle, Marion was more than ready for a good meal. Forgetting the lessons she had been taught in 169

Deed Wife remaining a lady during meals, taking small bites and savoring each one, Marion dug into the meal with a gusto that would have matched a hungry soldier. Callum wasn’t much better; even though he had been able to grab a meal at least once in the village, the long trip had taken its toil and he made no attempt to hide that. “Ah, Robert, there ye are. Come and sit man, dig in. The cook has outdone herself today.” Callum smiled as he looked up, the sound of Robert’s footsteps giving fair warning to the man’s arrival. “Thank ye, Callum. I will try to push the foul taste from my mind and enjoy the meal as best I can.” Robert glowered even as he sat down on Callum’s other side. “Ah, ye sister has affected ye mood, I see. Well, ‘tis ye choice. Enjoy here or eat elsewhere, I’ll nae force a man to be a guest at my table.” Callum smiled, unfazed by Robert’s foul temper. “The table in the kitchen can be quite welcoming.” “Nae, my Laird. I’ll remain and eat here, if ye didnae mind. I’d not want it said that I was in disgrace.” Callum nodded and didn’t pursue the matter any further. In fact, he didn’t speak at all but dug right back into his meal, something Marion was quite happy to copy. Whatever politics were now going on in the castle, she was not about to make the mistake of getting involved any further than she already was. It wasn’t even her fault that she’d been dragged in this far. Brianna had made her choices, Callum had made his and she...well, she hadn’t been given a 170

Terri Pray choice in the first place. Although that wasn’t quite true. She did have a few choices she could make. Obey him or not. Try to manipulate him, or accept him for who he was, and she’d already decided that trying to twist him about her finger was not a wise path to take. Marion glanced over at the man she had been bound to, her gaze lingering on the lines of his jaw, his full lips, his cheekbones and the way his dark hair curled about his shoulders. Her body trembled at the memory of how his lips had felt pressed against hers, the feel of his firm chest, the strength in his touch. All she had to do was submit to his will, and then she might know a little happiness under his care. Not a huge thing to do, she’d been taught in many ways to be submissive throughout her life, yet a small part of her screamed in protest, demanded she take action, fight back against him despite the risks, regardless of the punishments that would follow. It was such a small voice, so why did the words echo louder than anything else through her mind every time she so much as looked at him?

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Chapter Twelve he conversation, what little there had been after the meal, had been both stilted and lacking in any real depth. Matters of business and the welfare of the castle had been forgotten, Robert’s anger had not eased and each time he had looked at Marion, she had felt the hatred in his gaze. But once the meal had ended, Callum had wasted no time in escorting Marion back to his chambers and locking the door behind them, shutting out the stresses that lingered in the great hall. The half keg had been removed during the meal, and all traces of the dirty water and worn clothing had been cleared from the room. “Ye feel a mite better after ye meal, lass, ye looked done in before ye bath.” “Yes, Sir.” “Good, it’s been a hard couple of days, but I am still minded to put ye to use, my lass.” Callum closed the scant distance between them, reaching for the ties on her dress. “But I will nae be ripping this dress from ye. It would be pointless, as I would have to replace the damn thing. I may have money, but I’m nae about to waste it.” “And for that I am most grateful.” Marion peered up at his face. “It might have been easier to send me to the kitchen or that small table, Sir, than face the trouble that placing me at your side has caused. She

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Terri Pray wasn’t happy, neither was her brother, Sir. I don’t like being the cause of trouble.” Callum shrugged. “It was my choice, and both Brianna and her brother need to recall just who it is that rules here. I am often away, and I think that time without me around has let them believe they had more power here than I ever granted them. Besides, ye were nae the cause of trouble, just the trigger this time. They have been slowly trying to garner more power for themselves over the past few years.” He tugged at the ties, carefully undoing her dress before easing it down from her soft and trembling form. “But that is a discussion for another time. For now I am minded to enjoy the pleasure of ye body. In more ways than one.” Her nipples crinkled, hardening into pale pink tips on her firm breasts. She fought the urge to cover her body with her hands, knowing that he would only pull them away and it might anger him if she tried to shy away from him. Enjoy her in more ways than one? What did he mean? His gaze darkened as it lingered on her nude form, the dress now a crumple of material about her bare feet and she pressed her thighs together, trying to ignore the growing heat within her sex. It didn’t seem to matter what the circumstances were, just a word from him now, or a single touch and her body came to life with the need to be touched by him, to feel his skin against hers. The shared delight of that intimate moment, that time when they could both forget the world and the problems outside of the room. 173

Deed Wife “Kiss me, my lass. Show me how much ye enjoy my touch.” She didn’t need any further encouragement. With a soft murmur of delight Marion leaned against him, wrapping her arms about his neck. He hadn’t stripped off and she shivered with the feel of the material against her breasts. A tingle jolted through her nipples, heat washed through her core even as she pushed onto her toes to brush her lips softly against his. He smelled like a mix of sweat and hunger, mingled with leather. Even though he had bathed at some point before walking in on the conversation between Marion and Brianna, she could still almost taste the journey on his lips. “Ye can do better than that, lass.” Yes, she could. She wriggled back from him just enough to find the ties on his shirt, opening it up at the neck and pulling it over his head. A soft hiss of delight slipped free between her lips, her gaze locked on his chest for far longer than she knew to be safe. What was it about this man that left her wriggling, gasping for more, despite the fact he kept her as a prisoner, a slave, a piece of property with no rights in her life save those that he granted her? Yet it didn’t matter. Not right now. She slid her hands down his chest, finding the ties on his kilt, undoing them as she tried to keep her fingers from shaking. Just being near him left her ready to be pushed back onto the floor and taken there, without mercy or thought for her own pleasure. Even if he did that, she would be ready for him; she 174

Terri Pray was ready for him now, here, without anything else happening between them. His cock sprang up once the heavy cloth of the kilt was out of the way, thick, throbbing and ready for her touch, but he made no move to force the issue just yet. They both knew it was coming, but the pace was something he set. No one else. “Ye enjoy my touch, don’t ye?” “Yes, Master, I do.” More than she had the words to explain. “Even if that touch is less than gentle?” He smiled, sliding one hand over her cheek, combing his fingers through her hair. “Yes, though I should not. I know that. It’s a sickness within me.” “Who calls it such?” His closed his grip on the thick strands. “Has anyone told you that this might be an illness, that you enjoying the touch of a man is wrong?” “No, Master, it’s not that.” “So it’s just my touch, enjoying that is what makes it an illness?” He pressed a little more, his grip tightening on her hair as he tipped back her head and looked into her eyes. “No, Master. I swear it’s not that.” Marion shivered; small stabs of pain struck through her scalp and tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill down over her cheeks. “It’s the pain. The strength and pain you offer without thinking. That part of you that speaks of a darkness I know I crave, yet don’t understand.” “And why is that an illness? Why does wanting 175

Deed Wife that from me make you sick?” he growled against her lips, forcing them apart with a near brutal thrust of his tongue. Without mercy he explored the depths of her mouth, stroking the inner walls of her cheeks, stealing her breath and thought in one combination of pleasure and pain. Marion sobbed in delight, trying to press against his body, seeking the delight of his touch. Her heart raced, each beat louder than the next as it vibrated through her body, threatening to pound its way free of her chest. This was what she needed, wanted, craved with every fiber of her being. This man, this delight and control that he wielded with such ease and in doing so he wrapped a chain about her soul that she had neither the will nor desire to break free from. “Does that make ye feel ill, my lass?” he whispered into her mouth, breaking the kiss long enough to give her a moment to breathe. “Or does it make ye feel something else? A need, a desire that I have the answer to?” Lord, yes. I want him, all of him. Everything he has to offer and then some. “Please.” She had tried to say something else, something more, but the only word that came out was that whimpered plea. “Move to the bed, bend over it and press your cheek to the bedding.” Callum whispered, his voice harsh. “There are some matters I wish to attend to before we indulge. I plan on turning that sweet arse of yours a deep red before I am through.” She trembled and turned, walking to the bed. Her 176

Terri Pray throat threatened to close over, heart raced and thumped against her rib cage. What is it he needed to do? She had not displeased him; she’d tried everything in her power not to aggravate him or do something that would anger him. Yet she didn’t think that he wanted to punish her. Not in that respect. “Have I done something wrong, Master?” “No, quite the opposite.” “Then why am I to be spanked?” Marion grasped the bedding, her cheek resting against the soft material. “I have tried so hard to please you today.” “And for that, I’m going to try and show you that there’s nothing wrong in enjoying pleasure with pain. That despite what you might think, it is not an illness. It’s a craving, one I enjoy seeing in a woman, and one that you will come to accept about yourself.” He walked slowly behind her, brushing his fingers lightly down the length of her spine triggering a wave of shivers through her naked form. Her nipples pressed deep into the bedding, hardened beyond anything she had known before. Heat surged through her inner walls, rippling them, clenching them on air as her body craved to know once again what it was like to be filled by his cock, to know what it was like to feel him buried to the hilt in her willing body. “I’m afraid.” “Everyone is the first few times, sometimes for longer; you have to decide if you want to face that fear, or run away from it. You can submit to my wishes, my will, or fight, balk, run away and see if I will let you get away with that attempt to escape.” He spoke softly, steel wrapped in silk. 177

Deed Wife “And if I run?” “Perhaps I will let you go.” “And if I submit?” “Then you’ll belong to me for all time, until the day your soul is called to meet your maker.” He traced down her body, cupping her ass. “You will be agreeing to obey me for all time. I have no doubt that you will fight me on occasions, struggle against my wishes, but that will make your submission all the sweeter.” Giving up her will to his, surrendering to his desires and perhaps learning more about her own, Lord have mercy, she wanted to say no, to fight and struggle away from his touch. That voice of reason in the back of her mind, the one that told her enjoying such things was wrong, now screamed at full strength. Yet she couldn’t move. “Think of it, my lass, think of the joys I will be able to show you. Not just of mortal kind, but if I unleash the magic, use that to torment you, tease you into the planes of delight that you never knew existed, just think of how your life will change, how your view of the world will expand.” The caress of his words mingled with the soft seduction of his touch, teasing her hips into a soft twitch that rocked through her body. He knows just what to say and how to say it to me. Lord, what can I do? I want him, need him, but it’s wrong. So very wrong. “I won’t push you any further than your body is prepared to handle.” A promise--a hint that he cared for her. It would have been so very easy to take up his 178

Terri Pray offer and give herself into his care. So why didn’t she? Fear, plain and simple. “Ah, still you won’t make the choice, yet I can feel the need, the desire in your body. Your skin has warmed, your pulse races and the smell of your body the way it calls out for my touch would be so very hard to ignore.” He brushed a soft kiss over the back of her neck, his teeth scraping at the last moment. Marion almost bit into her bottom lip, moaning softly. His hand pressed between her thighs, cupping the heat of her mound, one finger sliding all too easily between her silken labia. The walls of her vulva rippled, eager to accept his finger between them, but only the tip pressed into her moist entrance. “You want it, don’t you?” His free hand slapped down against Marion’s taut ass cheeks, the noise and shock of the blow vibrated through her body. She grasped the bedding, whimpering, her thighs clenched fighting the urge to close on his hand. “You need this, desire it in a way you have no explanation for, so give in to it, lass. Accept and let the pain, the pleasure, my control of you, wash over you fully.” “Please, gods, please, Master.” “Please what?” He slapped down hard and fast, not once but four times on her upturned bottom. “What is it you want, my lass? Tell me, admit to it.” Tears stung in her eyes, her breath caught in the back of her throat. I have to tell him. I just have to. He knows what I want. Knows my needs far better than I know myself. Gods, no, I 179

Deed Wife can’t give into him like this. He’ll lead me down into the depths of despair and darkness. Everything I am, everything I wish to be will end if I submit to him. “All you have to do is tell me.” “I…” The words stuck in her throat. “What is it, my lass?” Marion whimpered, struggling to regain control of her body. Her vulva clenched on the tip of his finger, muscles working to pull him further inwards, to no avail. “Please, I need to know.” “To know what it would be like to surrender to me?” He slapped down against her left thigh, striking just below the curve of her ass. Pain, hot, white and sharp, lanced through her body, giving life to a near scream. “All you have to do is say one phrase. ‘I surrender, Master.’” Such an easy thing to say. Marion sobbed, closing her eyes, tears spilled down her cheeks, coating her lips with the taste of sorrow and salt. “I surrender, my Master. I surrender to you.” With a growl he pulled away from her trembling form, but only long enough to move fully behind her. Without warning he slapped time and again against her tight cheeks, turning them pink, then red, as her gasps became cries. She jerked with each sharp blow to her buttocks, the tears falling freely now but ones of pain, not fear or doubt, pain that soared through her body. Her sex tightened, clenched, then released, knowing that she had nothing to hold within her core but needing it anyway, desiring it and all too aware that he would 180

Terri Pray set the pace there. “You’re mine, my lass. From now until the end of ye days.” Callum whispered, stroking one hand lightly over her stinging cheeks. She shivered, moaning under the now gentle caress, her mind torn in two different directions. She had surrendered to him, agreed to this now all she had to do was not fight him. Such an easy thing to say--not so easy to actually do. “You’re still afraid.” “Yes, Master.” “Trust me.” “I’m trying to. I want to. I need to trust you.” Marion whimpered, tasting the salt on her lips. “Master, please, help me to lean on you.” Betrayed by her own words. Lean on him. Why would she need to do that? She was strong, had her own thoughts, a will that didn’t like the idea of bowing down to another, but this was the world she had been born into, this was the life she had to live through, and this was the man she now loved. “This much I will give to you, my lass, I will nae push ye body any further than it is ready to go.” Callum whispered, stroking his hand slowly up the length of her back until his grip tightened on the silken strands. White fire surged through her scalp, her jaw tightened, back arched as his grip closed fully on a handful of hair. “But I will push you there, a little more each time until you can nae help but crave more of the darkness that I offer ye. This, my lass, this is why I will nae ever take a wife.” Marion shuddered, her lips parted, breath escaping 181

Deed Wife in soft gasps. “The women of the Clans would nae accept how I wish things to be, they would nae willingly submit themselves to me. Instead, I would be fighting with them every day to claim my right as their master in the bedroom. But with ye, I can be myself. Ye have been raised to be submissive to my kind, yet ye mind has nae been squashed. Ye dream, ye hope, ye have wishes of ye own, but yet ye will be submissive to me. Ye are submissive to me.” Yes, she was. Despite what might have been if the magic had not been released by the Clans, the woman she could have been if the battle had not been won by the Highlanders. She like so many women of her generation had been raised to be submissive to the men of the Clans. They had been taught that obeying them was simply how it was, they were possible Deed Wives, women raised to leave their homes and become slaves to the conquering men and women of the Clans. “With ye, I can be myself. Who I truly am, nae a husband pandering to the needs and wishes of his wife. There will be nae risk that ye would disgrace me with my family, for ye are my slave, my property, ye are expected to obey me no matter what I wish for ye.” He growled, the sound vibrating in the back of his throat, and pulled on the wad of hair he held within his grasp. “Ye are mine.” His. Now and always. Heat throbbed across her buttocks, tingling a path deep into her body into her innermost walls. Her nails 182

Terri Pray threatened to break under the force of her grip. Her limbs trembled with each ragged breath, hardened nipples pressed deeply into the bedding, her entire force ached for his touch. No, not just his touch, but his cock buried in her core. “There will be time for so much between us, but small steps into this is for the best. Even I know that.” He moved behind her fully, his thickened cock pressing between her thighs before she had the chance to speak. “I want ye, need ye and I plan to have ye now.” He thrust into her body, filling her. Marion moaned in delight, her cheek pressed to the bedding. Her eyes closed even as he pulled back, then thrust deeper into her body. Her inner walls clenched tight on his cock, her hips rocking back to meet him as the need threatened to take over her being. Marion forced her hands flat on the bed and pushed up, lifting her ass into the air to press to him. With a low chuckle, Callum pulled back from her, leaving no more than the tip of his cock within her body. She whimpered, trying to ease back against him, to bring his deeper into her core. The grip in her hair controlled her. She couldn’t move away from him, she couldn’t push fully back against him. She was trapped by his wishes. Helpless, locked in the chains of her desires until such time that he saw fit to grant her mercy. “Do ye need me, lass?” “Master, please.” “Ah, but please what, please leave ye alone?” She could almost hear the smile in his voice. “I can do that 183

Deed Wife if ye really wish for me to nae continue this with ye.” He would do that, she knew that all too well. Just the wrong word from here and he would ignore her needs. Perhaps force her to help him finish, yet she would be denied the pleasure she desired. “Tell me what ye want.” How could she give voice to desires such as these? I’ve already told him, I’ve surrendered to him. What more could I tell him? He knows. He knows my secrets. All I have to do is tell him the truth. Such a simple thing really, so why does the idea frighten me so much? “I want you, Master.” “Tell me, tell me completely.” So close, yet so far away. Her body ached for his touch, the lips of her sex felt swollen, engorged with her need to complete this moment between them. “I can’t.” “Why not.” “Ashamed to.” She tried to swallow the words. “Why, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m the only one who can hear you. I’m the only one that will ever know.” Marion shook her head, whimpering. How could she tell him? Stupid. He knew already. She wouldn’t be admitting to anything more. Giving life to the words wouldn’t grant him any further power over her. “Then we will end this now.” He edged back a little further. “No, please, Master. Give me a chance.” “I have done, but I’ll give you another. Say it. Tell me what you want from me. What you want me to do 184

Terri Pray to you.” Her thighs clenched, her need coating her walls, threatening to mingle with the sweat on her inner thighs. She bit into her bottom lip, fighting against her urge to back away, take the moment to reclaim control over her body, but he would never permit her the chance. “Please Master, fuck me. I’m begging you, fuck me.” He roared, thrusting deep into her body before she had even finished the words, forcing her back against the edge of the bed. Only the sheets and comforter prevented her from crying out in pain, but even then a part of her wondered if she would have bruises there come the following morning. By the second thrust, she no longer cared.

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he woke to an empty bed. It had taken her a few moments to realize that he was gone, those first few breaths of the morning were always a little foggy at the best of times, but she’d passed out, curled up in his arms after what had felt like hours crying out his name; spilling her passion and tears onto the bedding before he had pulled her up under the quilt, her head pillowed on his chest. And now he was gone. Where, though? Three days of passion, meals, sleep in a real bed. He’d barely left her side in that time, and throughout she had not had to deal with either Robert or his blasted sister. A quiet time where she had been able to relax and recover from the harsh trip that had brought them home. Home, she had finally accepted that the castle was indeed her home. Not just his. So the servants and the likes of the troublesome siblings would always view her as an interloper, but she could deal with that if it meant endless nights curled up next to her Callum. She frowned, wondering what had pulled him away from their shared bed. He had to have been called away to attend to work in the castle, the duties that had been left behind and in the hands of Robert 186

Terri Pray and his sister. She already knew too well that there were matters that might not have been attended to properly, if the way Brianna had acted was anything to go by. Did they think that he wouldn’t figure things out? Of course. That’s what they were counting on. Or that Callum would have changed his mind and agreed to marry the bitch. If that woman had ever gotten a hold of the true keys to the coffers, then the castle would have been changed in so many ways that her Master would not have recognized the place. Stupid bitch, she really thought she had a chance to claim him as her husband. And now look at her. Locked up in her room like a spoiled brat. At least I know better than to try and manipulate the man. All right, that wasn’t exactly fair considering she had put a great deal of thought into the idea of using her body to get what she wanted from Callum. But that had been before she had truly known the man, and Brianna had no excuse; she had grown up with Callum, so should have long since realized that he was not a man to stand for being pushed into something he didn’t want to do. Marion smiled and rolled out of the bed, her bare feet touching the floor with little more than a soft slap. She tried easing the tension from her left shoulder, which had been left aching from the way she had spent the night. She glanced into the mirror. Her hair was a tangled mess around her shoulders, marks of his passion graced her flesh, small bites, the line of bruises from one hip to the next and she smelled of raw sex. 187

Deed Wife There were other marks, ones she couldn’t see unless she twisted her neck and tried to peer into the mirror from a dozen different angles. Not that it mattered. She knew they were there. She turned fully in the view of the mirror, letting her fingers play over her skin, following the line of the marks. She should have felt ashamed, parading naked across the room like that, but there was no one else who could see her, so why did it matter? Besides, she doubted he wanted her to be ashamed of her body. The body he had used for his delight the night before. Would he do so again tonight? Only time would tell, and she didn’t even know how long she had slept. It took only a moment to wash up, using the pitcher and bowl that had been left on a small chest. She dried off quickly enough, then looked around the bedchamber. After the cottage and even compared to the home she had grown up in, the chamber was luxurious. With a long yawn that left her jaw aching, Marion walked across the room, half-opening the drapes across the narrow slit-like windows, designed to be used as a way to defend the castle rather than a source of light. Warmth filtered in through the slit, a sword of light that left a warm bar on the wooden floor. She leaned in against the open window, taking a slow breath to taste the new day. Everything felt different. Her world had changed. It shouldn’t have, but she had felt it from the moment she had rolled out of the bed. Her skin tingled; every puff of air caressed her flesh, teasing the senses. She’d crossed the path from 188

Terri Pray being a child into a woman, far more so than any new birthday or a simple night in the arms of a man should have caused. Yet there it was. I’m no longer the woman that left my father’s house. I’ve changed so much in these past few days. More than I ever thought possible. Perhaps she never would be again. There was no way of knowing, not any more. And I don’t even care. Why would I? He’s shown me so much more than I ever thought possible. The servants had come to accept her presence in the castle, even though she had not been able to help them in their chores. They understood she was there to serve their Laird in whatever capacity he so desired, and if that meant entertaining him in the bedchamber for three straight days, then so be it. “Are ye just going to stand there like a lazy slut all day, or are ye going to get on with some work around here?” Brianna’s voice broke through her thoughts. She turned, frowning slightly before schooling her face into a calm mask. “I’m sorry, Lady Brianna, I did not know how long I had slept.” Hadn’t she been confined to her room until Callum said otherwise? Marion frowned slightly, she was certain she recalled the details correctly, yet there Brianna stood, her angry gaze fixed on Marion’s naked form. Had something changed? Perhaps Callum had accepted an apology from Brianna. “Put this on, now.” Brianna threw a grey dress, little more than a shapeless lump of cloth, at Marion. Something that would rub at the abrasions Callum 189

Deed Wife had left on her body. “Ye have work to do, and I’ll nae have ye wandering around the castle naked like that. It’s a disgrace.” “Yes, milady.” Marion caught the dress and quickly pulled it over her head. “Where is the Laird this morning, milady? He was gone before I awoke.” “What business of yours is that? My husband-to-be will see ye again when he is ready, and nae before.” Brianna scowled. “Now get ye arse in motion, there is work to be done this morning and I will nae tolerate ye laziness a moment longer.” Husband to be? Marion blanched. But he’d only said a few nights before that he had no need for a wife. Have I done something to change his mind, or failed him in some way? “Milady, I was just asking where he was, I meant no harm by it.” “If ye had been out of bed in time and nae sleeping the day away, ye would have been to breakfast and heard the Laird’s announcement. He has forgiven me and told the castle that he and I will wed in three month’s time. It seems the night with ye has given him time to reflect on the reality of his situation.” Brianna’s cold smile shot daggers of ice through Marion’s heart. “Which means there will be nae more nights in his bed, girl.” “Yes, milady.” Marion nodded, trying to keep her emotions from marking a path across her face. Her throat threatened to close, something torn from within her heart as she smoothed down the plain dress. Had that been his plan all along, to make her think he would keep her close just to gain a moment 190

Terri Pray of intense pleasure? No, I can’t believe that, I won’t believe that. He’s a good man, an honest man. Something must have forced his hand. Once I find him, I’ll be able to talk to him about this and get this mess all straightened up. There has to be an answer to this that makes sense. She needed to speak to him, and soon. “Now come along, girl. I have some work in mind for ye in the stables,” Brianna snapped. The stables. Hard labor; well, that shouldn’t have surprised her. Still, the thought of the type of work she would be doing there angered her and Marion struggled to keep her emotions hidden as she followed Brianna out of the room. Had she failed to please Callum the night before? Or for the past three nights? No, it wasn’t that. She could recall his content smile and the way he had protectively held her until she had fallen asleep. Whatever had changed things it hadn’t been her lack of skill or a failure in some way on her behalf. Politics? Something that had occurred in the Clans that she was oblivious to? “Milady, will the Laird see me later in the day?” “If it pleases him to do so, and nae otherwise. I would nae hold my breath on this if I were ye. He is less than happy with ye now.” Brianna replied, hurrying through the castle and down the large staircase. Marion frowned, biting in to her lip. That didn’t fit in with what she had experienced the night before. 191

Deed Wife “Thank you, milady. I just wish I knew what I had done to upset him.” “Ye will have to learn to nae be so curious about things. Ye are a slave, a Deed Wife, but this once I will indulge ye.” Brianna nodded and continued through the castle down to a set of doors Marion had not seen the day before. One door opened up into a long and narrow corridor. Where were they going? Yes, Brianna had mentioned the stables, but surely there was a more direct route than this? They had entered through the main hall only a few days before, but if she had fallen from favor, then the honor of using that route would have been lost as well. “Ye will be working hard over the next few days and will sleep out in the stables at the end of ye day, until the Laird decrees otherwise. Didnae think to step into the house without permission from myself, Robert or Callum himself, is that clear, lass?” Brianna turned a little, speaking over her shoulder as they reached a door bound with black iron. “Yes, milady, I understand.” No, she didn’t, but this wasn’t the time or place to have that discussion. If Callum had changed his mind on marrying, perhaps he had done the same over Brianna having the right to punish her. Not something she wanted to find out by talking out of turn to the hateful creature. “Good, now out ye go.” Brianna opened the heavy door, holding it to one side. Sunlight streamed through the opening, a welcoming sight despite the tasks that lay ahead. Marion’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach. There was nothing else for it, she would simply have 192

Terri Pray to comply with the woman and hope that Callum would speak to her soon. She took a deep breath, flattened out her hands, which had tightened suddenly into the limited folds of the thin and shapeless dress, before stepping out through the door. Something dark and heavy was thrust over her head before she had taken two steps into the warm sun. Marion screamed, struggling against the confines of the rough cloth. Her skin tingled as she felt the magic wrap about her, swallowing her scream. She had felt nothing beforehand. Whoever had been waiting for her was able to pull the spell together without warning, without preparation, leaving nothing to chance. She struggled against the sacking. What was going on? Rope bound the sack tight about her body, extra folds stuffed into her mouth and a second cord, this one thinner, bound it in place as a makeshift gag. She kicked but with bare feet, there was little she could do. “Get the bitch out of my sight. I didnae care what ye do with her, but I’ll nae suffer her presence in my home.” Brianna’s hateful voice penetrated the sack. “And Callum?” A man’s voice. Robert’s? “Will be nae the wiser. I made sure nae one was around to see us come down from the room. By the time he comes back, she will be long gone. Have faith, my brother. If ye man is as good as ye say he is, then Callum will nae suspect us.” “And if he does?” 193

Deed Wife “Then the Duncan family will step up to aid us a wee bit sooner than we had planned.” Brianna’s smug voice left Marion chilled to the bone. “They have hated him for years, and would do almost anything possible to bring him low.” “Well, it will nae help us if we get caught with the girl.” She could almost see the frown on Robert’s face. “Can ye complete your end of the bargain, or do ye wish to pull out now?” “Aye, milady, I can do the task. Didnae have a fear of that.” A new voice, a man’s. The one hired for the job? She tried struggling against the grip of sack, rope and man alike, but there was nothing she could do to break free. Brianna must have addressed her question to the previously silent man or else, knowing the woman the way she did, Brianna would have snapped at the man and told him to be silent. She didn’t exactly fit the submissive image of women Marion had been brought up with. “You better be able to, ye are being paid more than enough. Now go, get that creature out of my sight before I change my mind and just slit the woman’s throat,” Brianna snarled. “Sister, calm.” “I will be, once this matter has been done.” “Return to ye room, before someone realizes ye have left it. Now go, Brianna, I’ll handle the rest of this.” Robert spoke softly, leaving Marion straining to hear just what had been said. “Aye,” Brianna agreed. The door closed with little more than a faint click, a muffled sound that Marion wasn’t sure she had heard correctly at first. Gods, so 194

Terri Pray Brianna hadn’t been given permission to leave her room. Callum hadn’t lost his interest in her. Bloody bitch. Callum will have her hide for this. But only if he found out just what had happened. “All right, now, my sister is right, the girl needs to be taken from here immediately.” Robert spoke up, but he still didn’t raise his voice. “We didnae need the Laird finding out just what has gone on here.” The one holding Marion shifted her easily onto his shoulder, walking away from Robert’s voice. Boots clicked on cobbled floor. A courtyard? Marion hadn’t really had the chance to discover where she was before her sight had been stolen by the darkness of the sack. “I’ll have the lass out of here before he ever knows what has happened.” Her captor replied, slinging the sack over something else. The edge of something hard dug into her arm. The smell of horse and leather mingled, and the beast beneath her shifted its weight easily on four hooves that clicked with the sound of metal against stone. “We will be miles from here before he returns.” “And ye will keep ye word?” “I’ve done such as this before, Robert. Didnae go insulting me. The Laird will nae find out about the girl from me, and there is a healthy market for her kind. Ye just have to know where to look.” Market. Lord have mercy, he planned to sell her. “All right, just remember. He finds out it will nae just be myself and my kin that fall, but ye. He doesnae take too kindly to things like this.” The horse moved a little as the man Marion had no 195

Deed Wife name for yet mounted up. “It makes me wonder why ye are taking this risk, then.” “Too much is riding on my sister’s marriage to the Laird. If it means getting rid of the Deed girl, then so be it.” Marriage. It boiled down to that. To the wishes of a woman who wanted a man that did not desire her. Were all women so foolish and all brothers so willing to sacrifice their honor to get what they wanted? Struggling now would do no good; she was bound, gagged, blindfolded. Even if she managed to slip free from the back of the horse, she wouldn’t be able to get anywhere, and doubted she would be able to raise the alarm before she was silenced once more. Perhaps permanently. “Good luck in ye plans, Robert. Such as they may be.” “Thank ye.” No more words passed between them, instead a kick of heels jolted the horse into action, sending it out across the courtyard with the sharp sound of metal shoes against the stones. Marion gulped for breath; the harsh pace of the horse knocked her against the beast, forcing her to find a way to breathe more easily. The makeshift gag didn’t help matters, but there was nothing she could do about it. Just as she now knew that fighting the stranger without having some line of sight and perhaps a little more freedom than she now enjoyed was foolish at best. All she could do was try and rest during the ride and hope her chance would come later. That, and try to ignore the tingle of magic constantly in the 196

Terri Pray background, the same way she had tried to during her trip to the castle with Callum Jacobs.

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Chapter Fourteen ime held no meaning. There was only the pace of the horse and the way she struggled to breathe and not throw up into the dark confines of the sack. Each new jolt added to the pain that already claimed her body. Dizziness came in waves from her head being kept low over one side of the horse and her whimpers had elicited no kindness from the nameless man that had taken her from the castle. The horse began to slow its pace, and with no signs from the silent man that he wanted it to pick up speed again. Were they stopping for a while, or had they reached their destination? She already knew that the Highlanders were not above using magic to increase the speed and stamina of their beasts, so she could not be sure how far they had traveled. The jolts became fewer in number until the horse finally stopped, and the man slipped down from the saddle. “Well, lass, we’re here, for what it’s worth.” He lifted Marion down from the back of the horse, setting her on her feet, though her body shook with the effort to remain on her feet. She tried to speak through the gag but the cord held a piece of the sack firmly in place in her mouth; the only sounds that escaped were tired mumbles. The edges of her mouth had become raw with the constant rubbing of the cord and cloth against them.

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Terri Pray Her throat was sore, her tongue coated with something that left her feeling ill, but trying to complain about it all would have been pointless. She had been stolen, kidnapped and she doubted that he would care about how she felt. “Ah, I didnae think ye will be able to run off, so we can be done with the sack, I think. Unless ye prove me wrong. Be warned though, lass, ye try and run and I’ll whip the skin from ye back before I shove ye back into the sack.” He untied the cord from around her head, pulling the sacking free of her mouth before he tugged the entire thing from her body. “Is that understood?” Unable to speak, despite the sudden lack of stuffing in her mouth, all Marion could do was whimper and nod. In the dim light that spoke of the day’s end and the way her eyes struggled to readjust to no longer being covered, she had problems trying to make out the man’s features at first. It would take a little while before she felt normal again, but at least the damn sack was gone. “Good, now sit down, I’ll get us a fire going in a few. I doubt ye will be any good for helping with chores right now.” Chores. That she wasn’t about to argue with, even if she did lack the ability to do so. Instead, she took no more than four steps away from the horse before she sat down on a log. Marion blinked, clearing some of the haze from her vision taking in the small clearing. The place had obviously been used as a camp spot before. There were signs of previous fires. Logs had been set around the shallow pit and a point set up to 199

Deed Wife tether horses. Trees surrounded them on all four sides, though far enough back from the fire pit to lessen the chance of an accidental blaze. It was a basic resting spot, but one she was very grateful to see. And the man who had brought her here? Marion turned a little, her gaze narrowing on his shadowed form. He moved silently, almost gracefully so around the small camp, carrying the wood to the fire before he crouched down and took out what looked to be a steel and flint set. With a strike of one against the other and a little careful positioning the small spark jumped from the steel into the pile of tinder. He breathed life into the fire, encouraging it to catch and grow from the tinder to first small twigs then carefully adding more fuel to the blaze until he was certain that it would keep going. “There, that should do it, will just need to feed it through the night, though I’ll bank it for when we sleep.” He rose, turning to look at the young woman. “Ye look done in, lass. I didnae think that the trip would take so much out of ye.” “I feel it, Sir.” Marion forced her voice back into some semblance of working order. “To be expected.” He nodded, then pulled a small pack from the back of the horse. “Ye can call me Conner.” “Yes, Sir. Thank you.” She watched him closely. As tall as Callum, but that was where the resemblance ended. He moved with a grace that belied his build, which was far broader across the shoulders and 200

Terri Pray thicker at the waist than her master. So he had given her permission to call him by name, but that didn’t mean she was going to be foolish enough to use it. She didn’t know who the man really was, and could only hope that Callum was on his way to find her. “Ye didnae really know what’s going on, do ye?” He settled down on another log, opening up the pack. “Oh, didnae get me wrong, ye know that ye have been taken away from the Laird, but apart from that?” “I think I know a little, Sir, but nothing much. Just that Brianna and Richard were behind this.” She rubbed at her jaw with the tips of her fingers. Her muscles ached from the after-affects of the cord and sacking. “She doesn’t like me, and wants me out of the way so she can marry Callum. She’d kill me if she could.” Oh yes, of that she had no doubt, not after the way she had seen Brianna punished twice now. Even before that, there had been the incident with the dirk and the conversation whilst Marion had been in the tub. The woman hated her, and she knew it. “Aye, well, that’s the tip of it, lass. There’s more if I know those two, more than they’ve let me know about. Which apparently exceeds what ye know.” Conner shrugged a little and pulled out a muslincloth-wrapped package. “Ye will be hungry, I would think, and thirsty. I’ve good clean spring water to ease our thirsts and some bread here, with a little cheese.” “Thank you,” she murmured, lowering her gaze. He seemed nice enough, just as long as she ignored the fact that he had taken part in stealing her away 201

Deed Wife from her master. And for what? A handful of coins, no doubt? Or a little hard drink. Whatever the price had been for the task, she had no doubt both the work and the payment suited Conner. There had to be something decent in it for him. “Ye didnae think much of me, do ye? Well, I didnae blame ye, but a man has to eat, and to do that I have to earn coin.” He shrugged, offering no real apologies for his actions. “Now eat up and drink a little. Ye will need a rest soon enough. One without a horse beneath ye.” No, what she needed was her master, and the bed they had shared the night before. “What will you do with me, Sir?” “Sell ye, maybe. I can easily double my coin that way. If not more. Ye are a pretty enough lass, and there has always been a market for women in one form or another.” He tossed over a leather water skin and the wrapped package. “Now eat and drink. I’ll nae be able to sell ye off if ye are looking as though ye haven’t been looked after.” Looked after indeed, what did he think she was? She had thoughts, feelings, wishes of her own. She was—was nothing more than a pretty little piece of property that he had stolen of course. Glowering, she took a sip of the water, only to gulp a dozen mouthfuls, barely aware until the moment she tasted it just how thirsty she had become. Hunger quickly followed on the heels of her thirst and she all but tore into the bread and cheese. “Ah, I thought ye would need that. Well, eat up, lass. I ate on the ride. I’m used to spending many a 202

Terri Pray day in the saddle when needed.” Conner smiled, turning most of his attention to the fire. “We’ll be off come first light, but it should nae take much longer to reach my buyer.” “You’ve already arranged that?” “Aye, doesnae take that long, besides, once Brianna contacted me about the idea it took but a few heartbeats to send ye image through the flames.” He gestured to the fire. “What do you mean?” “Ye nae seen that done before?” Marion shook her head, setting the hunk of cheese to one side. “Well then, watch and ye will see.” He smiled, closing his eyes for a moment, focusing his attention within. He gestured towards the fire, a small move that she wouldn’t have taken notice of except for the small glitter of energy that danced over his hand. “Keep ye eyes on the fire, lass.” Marion nodded softly, watching the flames; the all too familiar feel of needles playing over her flesh accompanied the new display of magic. Nothing happened, at least not at first. Then the change began, subtle at first, just a hint of color to the flames that shouldn’t have been there. Not that color, at least. Blue, mingled with gold, the same speck-like dancing sparks that still moved over his fingers. They swirled into the flames taming them into shapes, teasing them into a form alien to their nature. Her skin tingled, the hairs on the back of her neck rising, goosebumps teased into life across her body. Magic. This was just a hint of the magic that had been 203

Deed Wife used to force her people into subjugation. If a man like this Conner, a simple man who had no special ties to any family, or so it seemed, and earned his living through the darker paths of life, could call on such magic, then what ability did those like Callum have at their fingertips? Slowly they moved, forming a circle in the center of the fire, images gaining life within the circle itself. A figure, two, sat around the fire. Conner and Marion both sat at the very fire that now showed the image to the watching woman. “Is that…” “It’s a simple enough charm, and with a twist to the spell I can use it to talk to someone else, or send an image, or message. Works better if the other is at a fire or near a candle, and there are those with more power who can send messages in other ways, but this works well enough for me.” Conner shrugged, dismissing the images with a soft wave of his hand. “I might try and learn other means when I have the money to go to a good teacher.” Teacher? So the magic did not come entirely naturally to them? No one had mentioned that. There had been theories ranging from being born to the magic right the way through to it being tied to noble lines within the Clans. Yet the Highlanders themselves had not spoken openly of such things. Until this one. “You would need to be taught, Sir?” Marion tried to do her best to keep her tone submissive and respectful. “I find that hard to believe after what you did to silence me in the courtyard.” 204

Terri Pray “Aye, we all do. Some have the magic stronger than others but without being taught, it would nae be usable. Well, nae fully. Unless a person is an elemental mage. Now those ones, the new clan of mages takes in as soon as their powers first show.” The man’s eyes darkened. “My brother was one of those. Damn fool that he was, but he’s one of the chosen, so others must bow down to him. I’d sooner slit his throat.” Problems? Jealousy between the Clans? Over the magic? Even between family members? They showed such a united front to everyone south of the border that it seemed almost too strange to believe. “I’m sorry to hear that, Sir, truly I am.” “Well, ‘tis done. He’s in their hands, and I’m left to wander and find my own way. Just because I failed their blasted tests.” Conner nudged the edge of the fire, or rather, one of the stones that surrounded the small pit, sending a waft of sparks into the air. “I have more power than he does, but they say I lack the control, that I will nae be able to stop my emotions from getting the better of me. They wanted to strip me of the magic, but I would nae let them do that.” Marion blinked, pressing her lips together in a thin line, desperate to keep quiet rather than say something that would anger him. This was a side she had never even heard of amongst the Clans. Stripping the magic from another living soul? Was that even possible? “Why would they be so cruel to you, Sir?” Conner glanced back at her. “Cruel, aye, ye have the right of it there, it would be cruel. A man of the 205

Deed Wife Clans without magic is almost looked on as a man born south of the border. Only my accent would have protected me from the attacks from others. Even then, it may nae have been enough at times.” “You might have been attacked?” She struggled to keep her tone in the right submissive vein; just a push the wrong way, and she might anger this man she needed to rely upon until Callum found her. “Aye, and even killed.” “Killed, would they really go that far?” She struggled to believe that one member of the Clans would kill another just for not having the very magic that had helped them win the battle. Were the fae so demanding? No, this had to be something brought in by humans. She knew all too well that there were men and women hungry for a share of the power; people desperate to keep some measure of it for themselves instead of seeing it spread over all of the Clansmen. There were even those who would see others stripped and killed, if it meant holding onto a little more of that power for themselves. “That far and more, lass. Ye are naïve of the lengths men and women will go to in order to control things.” Conner almost smiled. “But there’s little point in filling ye mind with such information. There’s nothing ye can do about it, and ye will be needing to focus on ways of pleasing ye new master once the sale is done. So eat, then sleep. Ye have a long day ahead of ye tomorrow.”

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Chapter Fifteen

I

t should have been a soft bed she woke upon, or even a mat at the foot of Callum’s bed rather than the chill seeping through the only blanket she had been given for the night. Nor should she have been woken further by the deep snore of the man that had helped take her from the castle. For a moment she thought of running. Taking off through the trees whilst Conner slept and trying to find a way back to the castle. Foolish. She didn’t know where about she was, or what direction they had ridden from the castle, or if the man had set up some sort of magical watch to prevent her from escaping. With a scowl she sat up, staring at the low flames. Unless Callum found her, then she was lost to him for good. Oh, sure, give up and accept my fate. Right. Just what I need to do. There has to be a way of finding him again. I’m not stupid, I know roughly where the castle was, I think. So all I have to do is find out where we are, then I can make my way… Conner shifted, rolling over a little further away from the fire. If he woke up and thought for even a moment that she was planning on running away, then there would be hell to pay. Callum, where are you. I need you. 207

Deed Wife Marion reached out towards the embers that still offered some warmth despite the way the fire had died down over night. If she had even that small touch of magic that Conner had demonstrated, then at least she might have been able to send Callum a message. And even if I had the magic, there’s no one around to teach me. That didn’t mean she couldn’t find a way of learning. If she watched, tried it for herself and then tried again, perhaps she might learn. If she had the magic and if she had long enough before she was shipped wherever it was he planned on sending her to… No doubt, it was to the highest bidder. A shiver claimed her and she tried to wrap the blanket a little tighter about her body. Feeding the fire seemed to be the obvious answer, and Conner had left extra wood nearby. Tending to the small chore might help him relax his guard, though the odds were slim. Still, she needed the warmth if she wasn’t going to end up sick from the exhaustion she still felt combined with the chill of sleeping on the damp earth overnight. One more blanket, would it have killed him to give her one more blanket through the night? She scowled at the sleeping form, wrapped so tight in the three blankets. Three, he could have let her have one extra, and it was obvious he had the extra padding… All right, maybe that wasn’t very nice, but he was thicker about the waist and chest than her Callum, and it wasn’t muscle she had seen beneath his clothing, but a layer that had come from rich foods. If 208

Terri Pray nothing else, that proved he earned a good living, however wrong his choices in life appeared to be. And who am I to judge him? He is doing what he needs to do in life in order to survive. At least he had the chance to make a choice in his life. And so do I. Who says these men of the Clans are the only ones with the ability to use the magic? No one else has tried. All right, so how was she supposed to get this done? There had to be something she could do, a touch of the magic running through her veins. Why else would her skin tingle each time she had been around magic? Not just since she had been with Callum, but during the trip to the cottage in the first place. If she could just figure out how to use it, or call on it enough to get a message to Callum, then… Conner snorted in his sleep. Her heart stopped, then threatened to jerk through the walls of her chest. Gods, she didn’t need this. Didn’t want this. But unless she planned on giving in to whatever man she ended up being sold to, then this was the only chance she had. Sit back and enjoy the ride, submit to her new owner or find a way to return to the old one. What did it really matter? They were both slave owners, both men who would prevent her from returning home. Men she would have to obey and please in bed during the night, then work during the day to see to whatever chores she was set. Not much difference between them. 209

Deed Wife Was there? She loved Callum Jacobs, no matter how much a part of her still hated the idea, she had come to love and need him within the first few days of being with him. Before they had left the cottage, she had known that her heart belonged to him. And for that reason if no other, she had to find a way to return to him. With half her attention on the sleeping Conner, Marion began to feed the fire back up. She wasn’t sure if that would help her in trying to contact Callum, but she wasn’t prepared to take that chance. That part was easy enough, it was tapping the magic that would be difficult step. She could feel it every time someone else used magic, so there had to be a way she could use it. There just had to be. Why else had she been left with this gift, or curse, that let her almost touch the power that the Clans used with such ease? No, that wasn’t entirely fair. Some had more power than others, meeting Conner had taught her that much. Stop wasting time. Marion settled herself in front of the fire, trying to focus, to calm and center herself. Uncertain of how to call the power, or what she would need to do in order to summon the magic, all she knew was the sensation that warned her when other were… Of course. With a grin, she closed her eyes, trying to recall the way her body felt whenever someone else used magic near her or on her. Her skin crawled with the play of needles over her form. She knew that feeling all too well, but bringing it to life was another matter. 210

Terri Pray Fae magic, or so the stories said, and didn’t the fae live all around them? If so, then she should be able to feel their powers, or call on them in some way. Marion took a long, slow breath, trying to find some sense of their existence only to hit nothing more than a low background buzz that was always a part of her life. She’d never been able to figure out what the buzz represented, and had come to accept that it was simply there. Her heart sank. Nothing. No one there to come to her aid. She fought the urge to cry, swallowing down the lump that blocked her throat. She couldn’t just give up like this. So maybe they were not able to hear her right away, but just in case the cry for aid remained as a background memory, she had to try. Even it if only left a hint that Callum could trace. Something that would prove she had not left him willingly, then it was worth doing. Please, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I need your help. I’m not of your people, nor of the Clans, but I love a man of the Highlands and he has been wronged. I belong to him. I need to be with him, and he has said he needs me. But a woman seeks to manipulate him; her brother seeks to claim this man’s lands and power, if my instincts serve me right. I’ve been given a hint of the gifts I see in the people you have blessed and ask not for their magic, but for aid. A moment of help so I can warn the man I love. Something flickered on the edge of her awareness. A movement, little more than a play of light across the edge of a bush, yet the expected tingle didn’t appear. 211

Deed Wife Nor had it for the being she had seen on the moors when they had been at the cottage. Because we don’t give off that type of warning. We’re part of the earth. The voice whispered at the back of her mind. Marion’s hands clenched, nails digging into her palms as she struggled to keep calm. Would it hear her thoughts? Yes, of course. What do you think called me? The shape slithered across the floor, a blue green light without human form, more snake-like than anything else. I’m not sure. I wasn’t sure anything would answer. Humans, you’re all alike in some things. You call on us, but you really don’t believe we actually exist until you come face to face with us. Did it have a face? Marion peered closely at the light that now swirled in endless circles across the grass. I don’t right now, but I can when and if it suits me to do so. Sometimes I prefer this form, it’s far less work to maintain in the long term. Forms took work? What did it… She, not it, if you don’t mind. I do so dislike the term ‘it’. I’m female, even if I don’t look like one to you right now. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to give offense. Heat colored her cheeks instantly. I wasn’t sure you’d hear all my thoughts like that. Well, of course I can. How else would we be able to speak without the sleeping lump over there hearing us and waking up? I do presume you didn’t want him to know what was going on? He is part of the reason you were taken 212

Terri Pray away from the male you rather like, wasn’t he? Marion nodded, wetting her lips quickly with the tip of her tongue. Well then, let’s do our best not to disturb the poor beast. Relief washed through her body as she watched the swirling form settle next to her. Lights flickered through the colored mass, a soothing pattern rippling through the being. Do you have a name I can call you? I don’t want to upset you or give offense. Names are protected; they are a source of power. Something your people never did quite understand. Though there is a name that you are quite welcome to use. Blue. Blue? Like the color? Well, it does rather suit me. Blue rippled a dozen shades of the name she preferred to be addressed by. “Don’t you agree? Yes, I think you’re right. So do I tell you my name, or do you already know it? I know it, Marion. I know a great deal about you. We all do. We’ve been taking bets on just how long it would be before you figured out you needed to call on us for help. Though you should know that you have another name, and when you’re ready to learn it, you’ll be told what it is. However, you must never give that name to another human, unless you are ready to tie yourself to him or her for the rest of your life. Another name, I don’t understand. All fae and half fae creatures have another name. But I’m human. Like Conner and Callum. Are you so sure about that? You have our taste for pain and pleasure mingled in one. So does Callum. This didn’t make sense, how could 213

Deed Wife she be a member of the fae? Or even have a trace of their blood. He enjoys giving it, not receiving. You enjoy both, though you have a preference for receiving. Perhaps because you’ve never tasted the other side of life there. Not unusual, considering the way you have been raised. But yes, you have fae blood running through your veins. How is that possible? My mother and father are human. Or were in my mother’s case. Not quite. Your mother was, your father—your real father—isn’t human. Real father? A cold sweat covered her body in an instant. Your human mother was seduced by a member of the fae, he donned your father’s form so your mother believed it was him. It’s not unusual, it’s been done before. We’ve even helped other humans change their appearance when the need has been there. But how can I be—I mean how could my mother not know? And why didn’t anyone tell me before this? It didn’t make sense, yet at the same time, it was the only thing that really did fit in with the odd way she felt the magic used by others around her. All right, so why can’t I feel fae magic if I am part fae? You’ve not been taught how to. Human magic is so clumsy that anyone with a trace of fae blood can sense when it is being used. You’re half fae, so your ability to sense it has the capability of growing a hundred times over, once you learn how to focus it. But I’m a Deed Wife. And you’re half fae, though I really wouldn’t advise telling that human of yours when you return to him. I’d 214

Terri Pray keep the magic hidden, if I were you. He really wouldn’t know how to handle it, and until you’ve been trained, you’re really far more dangerous to him than anyone else. These humans tend to be a power hungry lot at the best of times, and he might try to force you to use your skills on someone that annoys him. Callum isn’t like that. The words formed far more easily now. He rarely uses magic, from what I’ve seen. Well, then he is a rare one. But I don’t think that is the reason you wish to return to him, is it? Her cheeks burned instantly. No, it’s not. I’m in love with him. With him, or with how he makes you feel? How he pulls you into the darkness of pain, pleasure and control? Marion shifted a little, looking over at the still sleeping human. Did she want to get into that discussion with Blue? Not that she appeared to have a choice and she certainly didn’t want to anger the fae. Yes, that’s part of it, but only a part, I think. You think, but you’re not sure. That’s an honest answer. Good. Never lie to one of our kind. We can sense it. Well, you can’t--not yet, but you’ll be able to in time. Even with the humans, though they have made it an art form. Waste of energy, if you ask me. I need to find him, or at least get a message to him before Conner wakes up. Which could be any moment. Time was running out. Yes, I know. All right then, we’ll do this the human way. I don’t really have the time for the in-depth lessons you’ll need in order to learn how to use fae magic. That will come late in the months ahead. Now look into the fire. Just like he did last night, but you won’t need those fancy hand 215

Deed Wife gestures humans are so fond of. Marion nodded, and turned her focus to the flickering flames of the fire pit. Now, focus on them, and try to picture your human. Callum. Remember every small detail you can about his features. Start with the eyes, then work out from there to fill in his face fully. Marion took a long, slow breath and began to work through her memories. His eyes—dark, moody, intense—she could almost see them clearly. Her shoulders knotted as she tried to form the image in her mind, barely aware that the same image now slowly came to life within the flames. His jaw came next, the line of his cheeks quickly following as she painted the image in the flames from her memory. Hmm, you really do have a liking for him, don’t you? I suppose he is a handsome enough male, in a very human way, of course, Blue whispered at the back of her mind. And I know humans don’t share too well, which is a pity. I wouldn’t mind exploring him a little further myself. Ah well, such is life. Not even the fae always get what they want. Marion smiled, seeing the image in the flames clearly for the first time. So now what do I do? Call to him with your mind. Normally humans speak aloud in order to make the spell work, but you have an advantage so you might as well use it. Look at the image and call to him. Call out his name. That didn’t sound too hard. Master, Callum. Please can you hear me? It’s Marion. I need you to hear me. The image frowned and turned, looking around. 216

Terri Pray Details filtered into place. His bedchamber, the bed destroyed. Furniture overturned. Anger flashed in his dark gaze, hands clenched and unclenched rapidly at his sides. Master, please. Focus and answer me. I’m being helped to send a message by a friend. I’ve been stolen. A friend? Someone would help a Deed Wife to use magic? Why should I believe that of ye? A beast that ran from me the first chance you had. I had begun to trust ye, Marion, ye submitted to me, then you ran. No, Master, I was stolen. Please, I wouldn’t risk contacting you if it weren’t true. Brianna and her brother had me taken from the castle. She claimed you were going to marry her. They paid a man called Conner to take me away. He had to believe her. If he didn’t, then this was pointless, and she might as well let Conner sell her on to whomever it was he had lined up as a buyer. All right, say I believe ye, where are ye? I don’t really know. A forest somewhere. We were riding for close to a day and he used magic to help keep the horse going. I was bound over the front of the saddle on my belly, wrapped up in a sack and a cord in my mouth. Even when I cried out, before they got the cord in place, he used something to silence my scream. A spell, where? The courtyard, I think. She led me down from the chamber through a long narrow corridor and outside into a cobbled area. I heard the horses’ shoes on stones even after they got the sack over my head. The door was a single one, bound with iron. A lock that looked a little rusted. I think there was a chip in the wooden frame near the bottom, like 217

Deed Wife it had been repeatedly kicked at one point. She struggled to recall any details that might help him only to find that her mind readily supplied details she hadn’t even remembered until that moment. That’s just a part of your heritage, Marion. Though no doubt you will have to struggle past your human side most of the time. Never mind, you’ll come to understand how things work over the coming months. Or perhaps years. It’s been a long time since there was a successful human-fae breeding. She didn’t have time for that conversation, but insulting Blue was not a wise choice. Ah, yes, of course. You’ve not learned to split your focus yet. All right. Finish up with the human first, and then we’ll deal with other details. Marion nodded and poured her full attention on Callum. Does that help, the information about where she took me? Yes. I should be able to semi-track ye from there, but only if ye didnae travel too far today. That’s not something that I can control. Conner has plans on moving me today, he has someone he plans on selling me to. Though I don’t know where or to who, Master. Callum scowled but nodded, taking a moment before he replied, Then do what ye can to slow the process down, even if it means seducing him. Killing him would be better, but ye are nae in a position to be able to do that. Nor do I think ye have the ability to take the life of another human being. That she couldn’t be sure of. Marion frowned slightly as she thought this through. Could she kill 218

Terri Pray Conner? He hadn’t been that cruel to her. So she had gone through the night chilled to the bone, but he’d not hit her and had taken the time to make sure she had been fed and given water. You’re right, Master. I don’t think I have it in me to kill him. Then ye will need to do is seduce him, lass. It’s the only other option. I don’t know how to do that. Ah, lass, of course ye do. Ye are a woman. Of course ye know how to seduce a man. It’s in ye blood. I’ll try, it’s all I can do. Who’s helping ye, lass? Someone who might be able to help ye find ye way back to me? Marion glanced over at Blue, only to see the fae create a head, which shook quickly. No, Master, they cannot help me. I will be able to explain more when we are together again. And please be careful. Brianna and Robert have their own plans for your home and wealth. Don’t trust them. Whatever you do, please don’t trust them. I’ll take care of this side of things, you just look after yourself and delay this Conner as much as you can. I’ll be there. Soon. I’ll have to use some magic, but I’ll be there. Yes, Master. I love ye, my slave, remember that. No matter what happens, remember that.

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Chapter Sixteen he image flickered in the fire, then faded as if it had never been, leaving only the swirling form of Blue to let Marion know that this had all been far more than just the dream her mind tried to turn it into. He loves me. Silly girl, of course he does. What’s there not to love about you? You don’t understand. He’s not like that normally. I guess this has made him realize just what he feels for me. The knowledge was almost bittersweet. If she didn’t manage to find a way to keep Conner here, delaying the man as much as possible, then her Callum wouldn’t be able to find her in time. So do what he suggested, and distract Conner with your body. I’ve never done that before. Well, I thought about it with Callum but never put it into practice. You’re female, you’re half fae, it’s there in your blood, so work with what you have. And watch for me. I’ll come back when I can, but if your little friend sees me, then he will realize something is going on. Not a risk they could take. All right, I’ll watch for you. Call out with your mind if you’re in real trouble. I’ll come, it might take me a little while to get to you in fae

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Terri Pray reckoning, but I’ll be there in time. With that, the creature vanished, fading into the air as the blue swirls of light dissipated before her eyes. Seduce a man—no, not just any man—but one man; the one that now slowly stirred from the depths of sleep. Seduce or kill him, a simple choice. She’d never killed another living being, not even an animal for a meal, so the thought of killing Conner left her stomach in knots. Seducing him couldn’t be that hard, how often did a man like Conner, one on the fringes of life, get the chance of a woman in his arms that he didn’t have to pay? Marion edged back from the fire, wrapping the blanket about her shoulders. She had to make it look innocent at first, a way of not arousing his suspicions. At least he would assume she had no magic to use, so that lowered the chances of him taking her actions as a way to cause problems. The chill she had been fighting since she had first awakened by the side of the dying fire settled back into her bones. That was it. Start it off in a very innocent manner. Of course, why hadn’t she thought of that before? She tried to keep from smiling too much as she lowered down onto her hands and knees and crawled over to the bundle of blankets that was Conner. Strange, she didn’t know his full name, or what family he had once belonged to. He’d kept that part to himself, and perhaps that was just as well. Silently Marion settled down next to him, lying on her side with her back to the man. He didn’t move, or protest. Perhaps only a part of him was even aware of her presence. Good, that would make it easier. She 221

Deed Wife edged closer to him, sneaking under the edge of his blankets and wriggling back against his chest. She tensed as he moved, only to relax when she felt his arm snake about her waist. Marion let out a long slow breath, forcing it to sound like a sigh of contentment as he pulled her close against his warm body. “What are ye doing here, lassie?” he murmured against the back of her neck. His breath caressed her flesh, but instead of feeling the same delightful tingle she had with Callum, she fought not to cringe. There was nothing about this man that set her body alive with that passionate need. How could Callum think she could or would do this? Because I’m a slave, and despite the fact he’s just told me he loves me it will never be the love of an equal. She almost bit into her bottom lip, trying to focus past the thoughts of just what it was she would have to do. “Did I do something wrong, Sir?” “Nae, lass, I’m just wondering what made ye come and curl up with me?” He breathed in the smell of her hair. “Not that I’m complaining. It has been a long time since I woke up with a woman in my arms. And even longer since the woman didnae have to be paid for that.” Good, at least she’d been right about that side of things. “I was cold, Sir.” “Aye, well, I guess that makes sense. Still, we need to be up and about soon. Slept longer than I meant to already.” “Just a little longer, Sir, please. I’m enjoying the 222

Terri Pray warmth and being held.” She wriggled back against him, pressing the taut curves of her ass back against his groin. He groaned, tightening his grip on her softly curved form. “Ah, now, lass, if ye keep doing things like that I’ll starting thinking ye want a wee bit more than warmth from under these blankets.” “Maybe I do, Sir.” “Ah, now that’s where I’m a touch wary. I’m to sell ye off, aren’t I. Got a buyer waiting for ye. And he might not take it too kindly if I sample the wares.” He pressed in against the back of her neck, nibbling softly. “Though ye do belong to me right now. Until he pays me, ye are mine, so I’d be within my rights to see how well ye squirm beneath a man. Maybe I’ll keep ye for myself if ye wriggle the right way.” Marion whimpered softly, squirming back until she was almost melded to his chest and groin. “That would be your choice, Sir. I’m just a Deed Wife, I don’t have a say in these matters, and my family raised me to be pleasing to the men of the Clans.” Not entirely a lie, in fact there was a great deal of truth in her words. “Well then, lass, I might just test the waters after all.” He turned her onto her back with a quick tug, blinking the sleep from his eyes. “Ye a pretty one and then some, I’ll give ye that, lass.” Marion tensed for a moment, then forced herself to relax. “I’m a little nervous, Sir. Will you take it easy on me, please? I’ve only been with Callum Jacobs—no one else.” Heat touched her cheeks as she lowered her gaze shyly, full lashes brushing against her cheeks. 223

Deed Wife “Innocent? Nae, ye are nae that. Nae completely, at least. But still new to the game, aren’t ye.” He leaned in a little closer, his breath caressing her face. Unwashed, stale, a man that made her skin crawl, yet she had to go through with this. “Almost untouched, still learning what it means to be a woman in the arms of a man. Good. I prefer women like that, nae the ones worn out from years serving in the brothels or by the dockside. Ye will do very well indeed.” He leaned down fully, claiming her lips, parting them with a probing touch from the tip of his tongue. She wanted to throw up, to squirm free of his grasp and scream in protest at what he was doing. But she had started this and needed to see it through to the very end. There has to be another way. There is. Blue? She almost jerked out of Conner’s grasp. I thought you had gone. Not fully. You need my help, and he needs to think you are in his arms, warm, wet and willing. A pity you can’t manage it the normal way, but I suppose your upbringing has something to do with that. All that light skirt nonsense. No one thinks twice about your men getting their fun with any woman who might be willing and a few that aren’t, but if a woman wants it... Well, that’s the nature of your kind. However, there’s a way of doing it without him actually touching you. Think of how you look, how you feel, build another image of yourself the same way you did for your man in the flames, only this time, do it superimposed on top of your real self. I don’t know if I can do this. She melded to Conner, 224

Terri Pray letting him press the kiss deeper yet, shivering under the touch of his hand as he brushed along the side of her breast. Please, help me. Focus, concentrate. He’s just a human man, one desperate for the companionship of a woman, one still semiinnocent. He won’t notice that your attention is partially elsewhere right now, so focus on the image. Form it in your mind. Keep every detail just right. The smell of your skin, the color of your eyes, the curl in your hair, all your hair, including the most intimate regions. Easy to say, harder to do. Marion tensed, trying to put the pieces together, nudged at times by the seductive voice of the fae. When she missed the small bumps around her nipples, she almost turned scarlet with the mental teasing the fae inflicted on her, but at last the image was done. Now what do I do? Settle the image in your mind and let me freeze things. Freeze? Confusion threatened to break her hold on the image. Yes, it’s a very simple thing to do, for us, at least. Now hold still, this will only take a minute to do at most and then we can—there we are. Marion blinked, then blinked again. Conner had stopped moving completely. He wasn’t even breathing. “You’ve killed him. He’s not moving at all. Lord, what have you done? I didn’t ask you to kill him like this.” No, I haven’t, I’ve just frozen him. Now out you come. You’ll have to move his hands a little, there that’s it, slip out and slide the image back into place beneath him. Like most things it sounded easier than it actually 225

Deed Wife was. Just how long passed whilst she tried to get her image into place beneath the unmoving Conner, she couldn’t be sure. And if it hadn’t been for the help from Blue, she would never have managed it. If it hadn’t been for my help, you wouldn’t have known where to even begin. But it looks about right now. Ease his hand back down into place and step back. You’ll need to settle in place behind the trees. I’ll use a small amount of my own power to help hide you, but there’s no point you being in line of sight. Can’t I just send him off with the image? If nothing else, that would have solved the entire problem very nicely indeed. No, of course not. If he went more than a mile away, your ability to keep the image stable would fail and it would fade from sight. Silly girl. Did you think you were creating a permanent thing? Well, I didn’t know how it worked. Marion frowned, glancing back at the two entwined figures before she hurried to the safety of the trees. It’s not as though I’ve done something like this before. Fair point. Well, here we go. Keep quiet, and try not to let your emotions get the better of you. I’ve added a little to the weaving, so you won’t need to keep all of your focus on the image. However, you might feel a little of what it is doing. More like a tingling instead of the full effects of his touches. Can’t be helped, I’m afraid. Best thing is to think of something else and let the creation do its work. So you’re sure he won’t know that it’s not real? She settled down behind one large tree, pressing her back to the trunk. Ah, my dear child, it is real—for the moment, at least. 226

Terri Pray That’s the part I don’t think you understand. But how can it be real? It’s just an image. A spell. Not a real person. Hold on a moment and let me restart things out there. That’s more important right now. If we leave it too long, he’ll notice that the sun has risen a little further in the sky than it should have done for his reckoning of time. It was only then that Marion realized just how much time had passed. What if he does notice? I can make him believe that the sun hasn’t risen that much and speed things up a little in how the sun moves across the sky in his viewpoint. It won’t really change, but he will believe that everything is normal. He might put it down to enjoying himself with your replacement. A squeal sounded from the clearing, one that turned her cheeks a deep shade of red. For a moment she was tempted to peek around the edge of the tree until a tingle worked a path across her body, teasing her nipples into life beneath the rough dress, a heat swelling between her thighs until she squirmed and tried to think of other things. Keep your mind on me, I’ll make sure she doesn’t slip up with him. And from the sounds out there it won’t take that much to keep him occupied. Fortunately he’s not the chatduring-sex type. Useful. Marion nodded softly, brushing her hair back from her face. Very much so. I’d suggest you take the chance to learn what you can from me, now that I’ve stepped over the boundaries and helped you this far this soon, but you’re exhausted. Even if you don’t realize it right now, your body is drained from using the magic this much. 227

Deed Wife It wasn’t until that moment that she realized that the heaviness in her limbs wasn’t just a figment of her imagination. She ached; between the trip and the weaving of the image, she was just about ready to curl up and sleep. So do just that. Curl up near the tree. We’ll watch over you. And I’ll keep prodding your creation along so it keeps the male interested for some time to come. Thank you. There will be a price for this, one I’ll have to pay for helping you so soon, but it won’t be such a hard price to pay. Besides, you’re kin, and the council will see things my way when I explain matters to them. I won’t let anyone harm you right now. Like it or not, you’re under my protection until your male arrives. Council? Marion almost mumbled the words, her mind wrapped with a fog that tried to pull her into a sleep she wasn’t quite ready for. The fae council. Something for later, my kin. Now sleep. Sleep until he comes to find you. Sleep until you’re ready to face the day. You’re safe, protected with me. Sleep. She wanted to fight the suggestion, to question Blue further. Things weren’t fitting into place the way she wanted them to. You’re not ready to talk about this now. You’re tired, so very tired. Go to sleep. Rest. Whatever arguments she wanted to throw at the creature, the fae named Blue, died as she sank into a deep sleep; a rest that wrapped about her in the form of a dark, warm and comforting quilt.

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Chapter Seventeen

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unlight played along her limbs, caressing Marion’s form with a gentle warmth to tease her from her sleep. Never before had she slept so deeply or felt so rested, or at peace as she opened her eyes and blinked, slowly focusing on the trees around her. It took a little while before she began to recall what had happened. Conner. The image and spell that he had begun to seduce just before Blue had… The fae. Marion sat bolt up right, looking around, searching for some sign of the fae that had helped her so much. A hundred questions formed in the back of her mind, but she could see, or sense the presence of the fae. Blue? Nothing, just the low background noise of Conner snoring. At least she thought it was Conner. Carefully, Marion edged around the tree. Yes, it was him, and the image of herself was sprawled a little way from the sleeping Conner. Good–that would make things easier. Or so she hoped. She could still feel the connection between herself and the creation. Still there, strong, vital, she knew instinctively now how to control it and how to unravel the spell. But the question now remained: was it the right time? Blue had told her to sleep until 229

Deed Wife Callum returned for her, yet she had woken up and there was no sign of him. So what had happened? Of course, she had to unravel the spell before Callum arrived. Seeing the two of them there would have been too much for him, not to mention left her with a dozen awkward questions about the magic and where she had learned to do that. Not something she was ready to face, especially when she didn’t have all the answers just yet either. Would she ever truly understand what was going on? Snap out of this, I have to unravel the image before I run out of time. I don’t have the ability to freeze him the way Blue did. Dissolving the spell almost seemed wrong, but there wasn’t really another option. Taking a slow breath, she reached out with her mind to the creation, the same way she had to build it in the first place. Only this was harder. Memories flooded down the link, images of the passion shared between the spell created creature and Conner. Their shared sensual touches, kisses so deep that even the second hand memory of them left her trembling, struggling to breathe. Her body tingling into life in a way she had not expected and could not have prepared for. Sensations rushed through her body, her hands clenched into fists as she struggled to regain control of her emotions; powerful emotions that wracked through her body and mind alike. Yet she still managed to keep control of the situation. Desire and revulsion flooded through her body. 230

Terri Pray The creation had loved the time with Conner, but her heart refused to accept that anything that had come from her would be able to throw itself so fully into sex with another living soul. Then came the one thing she had not expected in any way shape or form. The creature opened its eyes, meeting her gaze. A wave of terror rushed through the link. I don’t want to die. Please. Let me live. I don’t want to return to being nothing at all. It hadn’t been like that. Had it? I can live within you, if you just let me. If you keep one spark of me alive, as a separate thing, then I will continue to exist in some way. Live within? That didn’t seem like such a bad idea. She had put a lot of work into—no, that wasn’t the right way to look at it either. The being had feelings, thoughts of its own and to treat it like that didn’t seem right. “You’ll always live within me, if you don’t fight me. I might need you again, so why would I completely destroy you? Your memories will remain in me,” Marion whispered to her other self. “You’ll never truly die. I promise you that.” Will it hurt? “I won’t let it. Trust me.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, coating Marion’s lip with the heavy taste of salt. “You are me, I am you. Listen to me, trust me, please.” I do. The replica shimmered, losing substance, fading a little more with each passing moment. What little pain there was as she reclaimed everything she had given to the image Marion now swallowed as she 231

Deed Wife kept her word. The other self, that now fragile form that threatened to vanish completely, felt nothing of the hurt. “Thank you.” Marion whispered to the last dying image of her other self, swallowing the sob that might have woken Conner from his dream world. Had it been worth it? The pain and fear, the sorrow of the creation when it had realized what needed to be done. Had it all been worth it, so she had not had to surrender to Conner’s touch? Yes. Marion took one last look around the campfire, checking for any signs of either the fae or that Conner had awakened, and realized what had happened before she settled down at the side of the fire, wrapping the blanket she had slept in back around her shoulders. The memories, the images of what her creation had been through were still in the forefront of her mind, and she was thankful that Conner had been gentle with her creation. Something she had not expected, considering how rare it might be for the man to enjoy a little female company. In a perfect world, she might have been able to enjoy his touches in the same way her creation had been able to. But every time she looked at him, she could only recall that he had taken money to steal her away from the man she loved, and would even now be handing her over to someone else for a few coins. He wasn’t an evil man, but one bound into terrible actions in order to gain the money he needed to live. Marion wrapped her arms about her knees, hugging them close and rested her chin on her knees. 232

Terri Pray She had been tossed from a cliff in a way she had never expected. Magic in her veins, politics she had not been prepared for, the consequences of men not passing some unheard of tests and running into a life of crime to avoid having the magic stripped from their very being. And the jealousy of a woman and her brother determined to control the man she had fallen in love with. No one warned me about that little part of it either, that I’d fall in love with a man I should hate. Marion chuckled softly, shaking her head as she rested by the side of the fire. Well, it had happened and there was no point getting upset about it now. “Damn, I didnae expect to sleep so long after our sport, lass.” Conner yawned and slowly pushed himself up until he sat and blinked at the low flames. “Still, it was worth it. I’ll just have to let the buyer know that we will be there tomorrow instead of today. He’ll wait. Seems he’s been wanting ye for a while, lass.” A while? That was something she hadn’t known before. “Do I know him, Sir? The one who’s paying for me, I mean.” “I’m nae sure, but he knows ye. Not that it matters, ye will be meeting him tomorrow. Now go gather some wood whilst I let him know.” Conner’s gaze narrowed on her form, a quick wave of his hand sent her up from the side of the fire. Marion bit into her bottom lip as she moved away towards the trees, picking up stray pieces of wood. Who was it that Conner had lined up for the sale? She 233

Deed Wife had to find out. It wasn’t her Callum, that much she understood. If it had been, not only would Conner have faced death for stealing the property of the Laird, but he wouldn’t have had to travel so far away from the castle. Someone who had seen her on the journey to the cottage? Perhaps Callum would be able to get the information from Conner when he arrived. She glanced back towards the fire and the hunched form close to it. Her skin tingled at the first touches of magic. Well, at least she now finally understood why she could sense the use of such a power. Fae blood. Who would have guessed it? Not her parents, that much she was certain of. And it wasn’t a topic of conversation she would be able to bring up with them, even if she did ever see them again. Or maybe her father had suspected, and that had been why he had been so eager to send her north of the border. Her heart sank into the pit of her churning stomach. If he had known, or at least suspected, then so many things now made sense. The lack of care, the sense of being pushed to one side by a man she had loved. How many years had she spent trying to gain just one word of praise from him? That didn’t even bear thinking about. He couldn’t have known, but he must have sensed something. Otherwise, he had deliberately distanced himself from the daughter he had planned to send away for another reason. To soften the heart of a Highland laird, and gain something in return. Marion peered back through the trees, chewing 234

Terri Pray slowly on her bottom lip. She could see the other figure in the flames. The one Conner now informed about the delay. What if the man was… Only one way to find out. With near silent steps, she crept closer to the edge of the trees, focusing on the flames and the small figure within them. There was something all too familiar about the image Conner now spoke to. I’ve got to find out who that is. Silently she placed the wood down on the ground and lowered to her belly, edging forward across the grass so she could try and get a better look. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Father. Lord have mercy, she wasn’t seeing things. Marion edged a little closer, trying to be as quiet as possible. Each small noise caused her to tense and freeze in the grass. The cold hand of fear clenched tightly about her body, threatening to still her limbs and hold her in place. All it would take was one moment where Conner looked away from the fire, and he would see her. What was she doing? This wasn’t worth the risk. She’d seen enough to know her father was the one who had offered to pay for her. For what reason she didn’t know, and trying to get close enough to listen in was a lost cause. Reason forced her back to the edge of the trees and the safety they offered. If Callum arrived, then perhaps she would be able to ask him to contact her father. He already had a low opinion of the man, and he’d be curious to know why he had offered to buy 235

Deed Wife back his own daughter. If her father was involved in some form of plot against the Clans, then it would make sense that he might want her back. Her stomach rolled, cold sweat coating her body as she wrapped her arms about her belly and fought against the urge to be sick. This wasn’t happening to her. First the kidnapping, now this with her father. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe he wanted her back out of some desire to protect his daughter. If that had been the case, he would have kept her hidden from Callum every time the man had visited instead of all but throwing her into his path. No, to her father she was nothing more than a pawn in his game. “Marion, where are ye, lass?” “Coming, Sir.” She grabbed the dumped wood and hurried back into the clearing. “I’m sorry, Sir, I knew you didn’t want me here whilst you were talking to the buyer, and thought it best to stay out until you called me back in.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Had the color returned to her cheeks yet? She hoped so. If not, then maybe he would put it down to the strain of the past day in his care. “Ah, good idea there, lass. I know ye buyer doesnae want ye knowing who he is until he pays for ye. He’s nae entirely happy about the wait, but I think he believed my story about ye needing the rest after ye ordeal. Seems he believes Jacobs would treat ye less than kindly. Abused is the term he used. I’ll nae understand some people.” Conner shrugged, then pointed to the fire. “Well, didnae just stand there like a lump, feed up the fire. We need to get a bit of food 236

Terri Pray cooked off.” Something to eat sounded like a good idea. At least that would help pass the time until Callum found them. If he found them. She had no way of contacting him with Conner around, and didn’t dare try and call on the fae again. Not so soon, at least. “Yes, Sir. I’ll see to that at once.” “It has to be late in the afternoon,” Conner looked up at the sky, frowning. “I had nae really given it much thought until my stomach started complaining. Did I really sleep that long, lass?” “You were exhausted, Sir. Perhaps using the magic, then our time together wore you out more than you thought. I imagine weaving such powerful spells would drain anyone, even someone as skilled as you.” She peeked a glimpse at Conner, hoping the words would both flatter and distract him. “I cannot imagine what it takes to weave such magic.” Conner smiled, leaning back on his elbows. “Well, aye, it does take a wee bit to do, lass.” “Of that I have no doubt, Sir. I could never manage such a thing. Even if I had been born a blessed member of the Clans.” All right, maybe that was going a little too far, but it seemed to be doing the trick. At least from the way that Conner smiled and lounged by the side of the fire. “Ye a smart one lass, nae many of ye kind realize the work that goes into using such a power. My brother thought he knew it all, but he’ll learn. One of these days I’ll be able to show him just how wrong he is.” Conner shrugged, his gaze narrowing on her for a moment. “I’m nae sure about ye, lass. One moment 237

Deed Wife you’re talking away, asking questions, but ye almost silent when we were playing. Most women like ye will natter all the way through the act. But when I tried to speak to ye, instead of a smile, ye pressed a finger to my lips.” Heat flushed across her face. “I like to concentrate on the moment, Sir. I hope I didn’t offend you?” “Nae, lass, it’s just not what I was expecting from ye, that’s all.” The tension eased from his shoulders and hers at the same time. The last thing she needed was Conner being suspicious before Callum arrived. If he ever did arrive. “Thank you, Sir. I’ll try and keep in mind that you’re no more familiar with me than I am with you.” She offered him a shy smile. “There’s a lot of difference from one woman to the next. But—but I do find it odd that you’ve not found yourself a wife somewhere, Sir, a good, strong man like yourself. You must have them chasing after you every chance they get. Oh please, don’t get me wrong, Sir. I wouldn’t dream of picturing myself in that capacity. I’m not of the noble Highland breed.” Marion lowered her gaze, hating the lies that she brought to life, but if it bought her a little more time here and a better chance of meeting up with Callum again, then it was worth a touch of discomfort. But not much more than that. “Bah, females. Ye all good at empty flattery.” He shook his head, looking away from her, but the smile that played across his lips and the touch of smug delight that glimmered in his eyes spoke volumes. ****** 238

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A rabbit roasted over the open fire as the night drew in fully. The scant amount of fat on the creature added to the smell of the cooking meat and despite her general dislike for the meat choice, Marion couldn’t help but look forward to the coming meal. The small meal that she had been permitted the night before had filled a hole, but had been cold and left her craving something that offered a little more in the way of comfort. Still, she wasn’t about to complain to Conner and risk losing what food he had provided for her. Despite his assertion that he wished her fit and well for the man who was buying her, it wouldn’t have prevented him from withholding food as a punishment if he had seen a reason to do so. The man who waited to buy her. Marion shuddered, wrapping her arms tight about her body. How could her father be a party to all of this? Even if he had carried some doubt about who had Sired her, he wouldn’t have stooped to buying and selling women on the black market. Foolish–she already had a good idea why he would do this. But now she had to wonder how he had come to know about the trade in women. Had he bought one before he had needed to use this network to track down his daughter? There was something more to this than she yet knew. How had he come to find out that she had been stolen away from Callum and as such would be placed on sale to the highest bidder? Conner couldn’t have had the time to pass the word fully. Even if 239

Deed Wife Brianna had spent three days preparing all of this, she was not the type to be foolish enough to advertise the name of the woman she needed out of the way. So Conner might have had nothing more than a day at most to pass the word down the line. I wish I could be sure. I don’t think I know him any more. Not after these past few days. One potential answer lingered like an unwanted visitor at the back of her mind, teasing her with the dark possibilities that she was not yet prepared to face. A soft snap of wood underfoot caught her attention, her shoulders tensing as she tried not to turn towards the sound. Unfortunately she hadn’t been the only one to hear it. “Looks like we’ve got company, lass. Didnae move from the fire. ‘Tis safer for ye here.” Conner slid his sword from its sheath. Like so many of the Clansmen now he disdained the use of pistols and rifles, preferring the traditional weapons of his people mingled in with the magic they were now able to use. “Company, Sir?” Marion forced herself to not look towards the source of the sound, feigning that she had missed hearing it. Good, from the slight frown that passed across Conner’s brow, he believed she truly hadn’t heard the distinct crack. “How do you know?” “Doesnae matter, point is, we have some.” He rose with a grace she had not witnessed in him before; his eyes filled with a dark light that left her shivering. “Stay here, stay silent. Ye move from the side of the fire and I will be having a sharp word with ye ass.” “Yes, Sir.” 240

Terri Pray He didn’t wait to see what else she would do or say, and in truth, she couldn’t even be certain that he had heard her reply in the first place. Not that it mattered. He would follow through with his threat if she did something to disobey him—well, if he had the chance to. She peered into the tree line. Was it Callum out there? Please Lord, let it be so. I can’t take much more of this. Something moved in the edge of the trees, little more than a dark shadow in a kilt. It could have been just about anyone but there was something familiar about the man. The way he moved, a confidence in his pace through the near darkness of the trees, a touch to the way he acted that made her heart sing out a single word. Callum! Then he was gone. Blended into the darkness without a sound. You’re trying to fool yourself. That might have been a complete stranger. Someone with an axe to grind against Conner. Or a footpad roaming the area, looking for a way of making a little extra money. Either way there’s no way you can be sure that was Callum. Her heart said otherwise. Footsteps crunched over the leaf-covered ground, a twig snapped underfoot. The gasp of one man being hit, followed by a low growl. Steel caught against steel, the sounds ringing out through the forest in a way that left no doubt that the battle had begun between the two or more men. Marion tried to stay at the side of the fire, but the 241

Deed Wife first cry of real pain forced her up onto her feet, pacing about the edge of the fire-lit circle. Even if that wasn’t Callum out there, she knew someone had been hurt. Perhaps Conner, perhaps the newcomer. Her mind raced with a dozen ideas, each one tinted by a blood-soaked image on the forest floor wearing her master’s visage. Stay where you are. You know what will happen if you step out of the firelight and into the forest. You won’t be able to sit for a month. Even if that is Callum out there, he’ll whip you for being so foolish and risking yourself like that. That didn’t stop her from wanting to head out there. Until she pictured the look of utter displeasure on Callum’s face. Her heart sank into her stomach, her feet turned to lead even though she tried to continue pacing at the edge of the circle of light. She knew just how he would take it if she put herself in such obvious risk. Even though they had never spoken about such things, her heart provided the answer all too willingly. A new cry—one that bordered on being a scream— rang through the forest, chilling her to the bone. A hundred images of Callum laid out dead or dying flashed through her mind, yet she still managed to force herself to stay in the firelight. He had to be alive. He just had to be. Nothing else could even be considered. She loved him, and people she loved didn’t have the right to die on her. Oh, he’d really take that one from you. Can you imagine 242

Terri Pray the look on his face? He’d get up from his deathbed just to issue a spanking I’d never forget. A nervous chuckle bubbled into life. She could almost see it. Standing over his blood-soaked body, ordering him to stay alive whilst he growled at her that she had nae right to be giving him orders of any kind. The tiny crack almost slipped past unnoticed. A figure stepped from the darkness, holding up another human being. Both men, both wearing kilts. Two swords strapped onto the back of one. Long hair half over the victor’s face, blocking his identity from view a moment longer, but the other one she knew. Conner, blood half-covering his face in a mask that left her fighting to keep her stomach from emptying on the spot. “Sir?” Marion whispered. Oh, Lord, let it be him. Please. Just let it be him. A pair of dark eyes met her gaze, half shaded by a long wave of midnight hair across his face. Blood marked his cheek like ink spilled in the night, the cut a line of pure darkness over his flesh. “Who did ye think it would be, lass, a fae?” Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, breath quickening as a band of iron tightened about her chest. She wanted to scream in delight, to move to him but she remained rooted to the spot, struggling to calm her taut nerves. He lived. Lord have mercy, he lived. “Well, girl, are ye going to stand there all night like a lazy sod, or will ye help me with this damn thief?” 243

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Chapter Eighteen long minute, Marion didn’t move. It was all Forshea could do just to stand there and stare at the man she had finally admitted to herself that she loved. Tears spilled without reason down her cheeks, her lips moved, though no sounds followed her attempt to speak. Her throat tightened, heart pounding so loudly she feared it would break through her chest. “Damn, lass, did he beat ye senseless?” “No, Sir.” Heat burned in twin points across her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m just glad to see you again. I feared that I would never see you again.” The word stumbled from her lips, her mind wrapped in a fog of emotions. “Foolish lass, I thought I’d made it clear I would nae let ye go.” He dropped the bleeding man by the side of the fire. “Now move, I need to get this one seen to and find out more about his plans.” Callum glanced about the fire, and then looked further out, frowning. “So where is this one that helped ye?” Her heart missed a beat. “She fled, Sir. She didn’t wish to be caught, and stayed longer than she dared. Barely more than a child, all she could do was help me contact you.” The lie tasted sour, yet it was for his own good. Liar. 244

Terri Pray “Ah, a bairn? That’s not completely unheard of. They have been known to step in where an adult would nae dream of doing so, but in this case I am thankful she did.” Callum settled down close enough to the trembling form of Conner to lend aid if he tried to do anything to Marion. Not that she thought he would have the strength to, and now she was able to take a better look at his injuries, she was surprised he was still breathing. “You wish me to wash the wounds, Sir?” “Aye, lass, and bind them. I take it ye do know how to do that?” She nodded, refusing to rise to the bait. For all she knew he could be reverting to the snide and often sharp remarks because Conner could hear what was being said. It wouldn’t have done well for a Laird to be seen as being soft, or caring in depth for a woman that was nothing more than property to him. Or at least she was according to the law. “Good, then build the fire up when ye get the chance.” Marion moved quietly to the side of the bleeding man, picking up one of the water skins and the saddlebags. It didn’t take long to find a piece of cloth that she could use to wash Conner’s face with and she began to gently wipe off the excess blood. “Ye betrayed me, lass. After what we shared, ye went and betrayed me. Ye man could of killed me out there.” Conner tried to snarl but the sound held more in common with a moan of pain than a growl of warning. “Keep back from me. I didnae trust ye anymore. Should have known better than to be soft 245

Deed Wife with ye in any way. Still, I thought ye actually liked me a wee bit.” “You were good to me, Sir, but you aren’t the one who owns me.” Marion spoke softly, taking care not to cause Conner any further discomfort. “Ye a Deed Wife, a piece of property, a slave. Why would ye care who owns ye? ‘Tis nae as if ye were given a choice on belonging to the Laird in the first place.” “Because even amongst my people there is such a thing as loyalty.” She held his gaze, cleaning the blood from above his brow line. “I’m sorry if you think I betrayed you, but how could I betray someone I owe nothing to? I don’t belong to you, I never belonged to you, Conner. I’m sorry that you were harmed in this, more so than you can believe, but it is part of the path you decided to walk.” “Nae need to waste ye sympathy on him, lass. He’s nothing more than a sword for hire. One who’s turned his back on his family and his Clan. His kind should be banished south of the border,” Callum snapped, his gaze narrowing on her all too quickly. “He was good to me in his own way, Sir. Kept me fed and safe. I’m sorry if speaking to him offends you.” Marion rested back on her knees, lowering her hands to her thighs as she spoke, her gaze fixed on the ground. “I will try not to give offence again in such a manner.” “See that ye remember that. Now get on with tending him. I have questions for him, and I didnae need to hear ye chatter to him.” Her hand clenched on the cloth, anger flaring into 246

Terri Pray being, raging for a few moments only to then ease down into a long low simmer. This man, this one she loved, could be such an arrogant bastard at times. She couldn’t understand why she felt the way she did towards him. Men like him needed to be killed, or shown just how it felt to be in her shoes. Yet all it took was a single look his way, and her body heated from within. Love, lust, it’s all the same thing to the fae. Blue’s voice whispered in the back of her mind. But humans, they have this complicated version of how things are supposed to be. Really not a good way of looking at life. Marion struggled to keep her emotions under control, forcing the tension from her jaw. I thought you would be gone for a while yet? I’d planned on it, but then when I heard the fight I drifted back to see what was going on. He is rather cute, that man of yours. Do you think he would mind playing with me for a time? He might be a lot of fun. Yes, he is indeed. Denying that felt pointless. But I don’t think he’s the sort that would allow himself to be shared. Not unless it was on his terms. Marion glanced towards Callum, then turned her outward attention to cleaning Conner’s wounds. Human men are a little strange in that way. You’d expect them to understand the type of fun we can have, but oh no, unless it’s on their terms with their silly little rules—bah, I don’t know how you put up with it. Ah, yes, sorry. Forgot for a moment. You don’t actually have much of a choice right now, do you? No, I don’t. Well, give it time and you’ll have enough control over 247

Deed Wife your magic to then have that choice returned to you. Blue tried to cheer her up, but the thought only added to the growing weight that had settled across her shoulders. Then you could decide if you want to stay with him or not. “Ye work is done with him, lass, move back. Get some wood for the fire and feed it up. See to his horse, and ye should find mine tethered a short way down the path.” Callum pointed down the narrow path through the forest that Conner had used to approach the campsite. “Bring him in, just go easy on him, speak gently and be calm with him, he’s a wee bit tired after all the work he’s done in getting here. Magic aided or nae, he’s tired now.” “Yes, Sir. I understand.” Marion set the water and cloth to one side, sneaking a quick glance at Callum. The lines were deeper than she recalled about the sides of his lips, a shadow had formed under his eyes and she could see the tension wrapped about him. If he would only let you near him, then you’d be able to find a way to ease some of that tension. But, knowing human males, he wants to interrogate that other one...Conner, wasn’t it? Yes. Well, he wants to do that, and doesn’t want you nearby for it. Why not? Marion frowned as she moved away from the circle of the firelight. Because he’s going to hurt Conner if he doesn’t get the answers he wants. I know it’s hard to believe that he needs to send you out of sight for that when you’ll be able to hear the screams from here… 248

Terri Pray Marion stopped in her tracks. Screams? Before Blue could answer, the first of those heartwrenching noises ripped through the forest, a sound she had never heard from a living soul before. Marion was no stranger to the cruelty of human beings and had heard screams of pain before now, but this ripped through her. Lord, I can’t let him do this to another living soul. Why not? How else is he supposed to get the answers he needs from him? That’s not the point. It’s wrong. Conner was only trying to earn a living. Marion’s fists clenched at her sides, her lips pressed into a tight thin line. I can’t let him do this. And how are you going to stop him without showing him just who you really are? Or hadn’t you thought that far? She hadn’t. Well, couldn’t you step in and try and persuade him? Sure, if I want to get into even more trouble right now– which I don’t. Helping you out is one thing, sticking my neck into trouble to save a human is a whole different matter. Besides, Conner knew what he was getting into when he accepted this path through life. All of those who enter that type of work know what they could face. So why should I save him from the fate that has always been waiting for him? Marion bit into her bottom lip as a new scream echoed through the trees, a cold sweat coated her flesh, her instincts torn between obeying the man she loved and going back to see the monster he had become. 249

Deed Wife A monster? Is that what you think he now is? My dear girl, you should see what a full fae is capable of doing when we’ve been pissed off. I’ve delighted in a few of the darker arts myself, when the moment called for it. In fact, I’ve torn the skin off a fae male for pissing me off at the wrong time. It was a lot of fun; you should try it some time. They scream in such a delicious manner, and the best part is that they heal. So you can start all over again when they’ve healed up. Oh, gods, you can’t be serious. Her stomach rolled. Deadly. Now you really should go and collect that wood. He’s going to want you back pretty soon. And if he hasn’t finished? Would she have the strength to stand there and watch him torture the helpless man? Then I suggest you take notes and learn some interesting lessons. Eventually someone is going to come after you from our side of life, and they might not like being told to go away if you want to stay with your human mate. Marion turned and all but ran towards the path, following it until she found the tethered horse she remembered from the trip to the cottage. Shaking, she leaned against the beast, breathing in the smell of tired horse as she tried to force herself to focus on the reason Callum had come after her. Not to hurt Conner. Not to treat her badly. Not even so he had a partner in bed most nights. But because he needed her. He cared for her. Perhaps in his own way, he really did love her. Not something she would hear about any time soon. Not in depth at least. He might mumble something from 250

Terri Pray time to time that would give her something to cling to and then one day—one day he would tell her just how he felt about her. Until then, she could live with the harsh words, the tone he used in public and cling to the private moments. But what if it never changes? If he never finds a way to show how he cares for me in public? Can I live through the rest of my life knowing that this is the way he will treat me in front of others? “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered to the horse, which turned and nuzzled her softly. “I love him, stupid, isn’t it? He won’t ever say the words in public, and might never tell me fully even in private what he feels for me.” The horse nudged her towards the reins, still tied to the tree trunk. “All right, I get the message. You want to go where it’s warm and you might have some food.” Marion almost smiled and patted the neck of the horse. At least the saddlebags looked full, and there appeared to be a bag of oats tied to the one snaffle. The horse would eat well and knowing her master, they would as well. He did take care of her, in most respects. It was just that one small matter of not being treated as either an equal or the woman he loved. If he loved… Oh, do stop that. You’re going around in circles with those silly theories of yours. He cares for you, accept that and live with it. Now get the damn horse back to the fire and see what he has planned. Planned? She frowned and looked back towards the fire. The screams had stopped, at least for now, so 251

Deed Wife it was safe to return. Though just what state Conner would be in, she didn’t even want to think about. With a heavy heart, she led the horse back towards the flickering light of the campfire. Two figures still remained by the fire: one sat upright, the other lay on his side, breathing heavily. The smell of fear, sweat and blood mingled with the smoke, adding to her growing concern. What had he done to Conner? “My horse all right?” “Yes, Sir.” She glanced towards Conner, but didn’t dare to ask directly. “And I’ve spotted a decent area to pick up some more wood for the fire, but Conner had me collect some a little before you arrived, so we should be fine for now. Unless you want me to…” “Nae, that’s fine, lass. Now unsaddle the beast and bring me the packs.” Marion nodded, keeping her thoughts buried deep. Just the brief glimpse at the trembling form at the side of the fire had been enough to spark her deepest fears. “Ye will keep ye word, Laird?” Conner spoke quietly, his voice weak, shaking at every other breath. “I’m nae the type to break my word even to one such as ye.” Callum snapped. “Didnae insult me by suggesting that I would do such a thing. The lass here knows just how highly I prize my honor.” “My apologies, Laird. I was nae thinking things through very clearly.” “Aye, a few punches to the side of the head will do that to a man.” Callum almost laughed. “Well, maybe ye will be more careful who ye work for in future.” He turned his attention to Marion, gesturing that she should sit down. “Seems ye were right, he was 252

Terri Pray working for Robert and Brianna.” “Yes, Sir. I was there, remember?” She tried to keep from snapping at him. “But I do understand that you would want to check the information for yourself.” “Aye, lass, they’ve been good friends to me over the years. I never thought the woman would go to such lengths to find a place in my bed.” Callum shook his head and leaned back onto his elbows. “Nae, Laird, ye misunderstand it. She doesnae want ye for a place in ye bed, ‘tis a place as ye wife for all time. At least until she is carrying ye bairn to term. Once that child was born, ye would be dead before it reached its first birthday.” Conner interrupted but did so with a quiet voice. “I’m sure she would pretend to mourn ye loss, but the woman has an unholy alliance with a family ye have ever been at odds with.” “She would nae have gone that far in betraying me.” “Are ye so sure, Laird?” Conner propped himself up. “Look at what she has done so far. Hired me, worked against ye, openly defied ye orders. Who’s to say just how far she would go to get what she wants in life?” “Duncan. She’d sell out my home to that family. I’ll string the bitch up.” “Sir, do you have proof enough to do that? All you have is the word of a thief, and that word is backed by a Deed Wife.” Marion shifted a little by the side of the fire, keeping her voice soft. “I mean not to interfere, but the Clans have a system of justice, don’t they? One that requires a form of trial for such acts of 253

Deed Wife betrayal, and that would mean better proof that we have currently provided for you.” Callum let out a long slow breath through his teeth. “As much as it pains me to admit it, she’s right, Laird. Ye will need far more than the two of us. Hell, for all I know she’ll arrange to have me killed off if I arrive there as a prisoner of yours.” Conner forced himself to sit up fully by the side of the fire and for the first time Marion was able to get a good look at his face. It took every ounce of self-control she possessed in order not to cry out, or pull away in sheer horror. The color drained from her face and Marion drew a sharp breath. The lefthand side of Conner’s face was swollen almost beyond recognition. In the fading light of the day and the shadows cast by the fire she couldn’t be sure which injuries had been there before she had been sent away from the camp, nor did she dare risk trying to find out. “Ye right, I didnae like her words either, but they are worth considering.” Callum nodded, his gaze narrowed on Marion. “I never thought I would see the day that I would take advice from an Englishwoman, but today it seems I must do just that.” Did the country of her birth make her words of less value? To the Highlanders, or many of them, yes it does. I’ve always known that. It’s just how the world works. There’s nothing I can do about this unless I do learn how to use the magic the way Blue suggests. 254

Terri Pray “I’m not sure what the best thing would be to do about this, Sir. I only know it would be unwise to confront her on a matter of treason against her Laird with so little proof in hand.” “Aye, but I think I have an idea.” Callum smiled, a dark light shining within his gaze. “She’s overconfident, and I’ll play to that. If it takes me seducing the wench, then so be it, all for the better in fact. Aye, if this works out, then she will unmask herself to the council and others without even realizing that she is doing it.” He reached out to caress the side of her face, his voice softening just enough to lift the doubt that had wrapped itself about her heart. “Ye just have to hold on to ye courage, my lass and play through with the part I will give ye. Can ye do that for me?” Marion leaned into his touch, shivering. “Aye, my Master, I will do that for you.” That and so much more, if he so desired it.

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Chapter Nineteen

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ight had settled about the camp and the hours had passed in soft conversation. Though Callum had not revealed the details of his plans to either of them—and with good cause—his words and move towards openly trusting her in front of another Highlander had helped silence her all too verbal doubts. So it wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was a huge step considering the way the men and women of the Clans viewed her people. Odd, if an Englishman had treated her the way Callum did, she would have slapped him, struck out, called him all the foul names she knew— which weren’t that many, when she stopped to think about it. Yet with Callum… Am I a fool for doing this? No. He wasn’t English. She’d been raised to accept and even understand a certain amount of arrogance and abuse from men such as Callum and Conner. But it doesn’t make it right. No matter what I try to tell myself, it’s still not right. Can’t he see that? No, he couldn’t. Nor would he, until he was forced to see it. This isn’t the time or place for that battle. He needs me to win this fight against Brianna, and maybe after that he will realize just how wrong this whole thing has been. How 256

Terri Pray his people have sunk deeper into the paths of darkness than mine ever did? Marion let her gaze linger on the now silent man, watching the subtle shift of muscles across his face and body. Did she have what it would take to open his eyes fully? She could only hope that she did. “See something ye like, lass?” Callum smiled as he met her gaze. A warmth danced within his gaze, a kindness that hinted at the times they had shared together in the privacy of his bedchamber. “Ye have been studying me on and off since Conner fell asleep.” “I’m just curious sometimes, Sir. That, and I’ve missed you.” “Ah, now there is the strange thing, Marion, I’ve missed ye too, though it would make me the laughing stock of the Clans to admit such. Strange, I suppose, we take ye women to be our bedmates, toys and playthings on the side. Sometimes a little more, but only in private, then we are mocked if we dare to admit we care for such as ye kind. Never truly understood it, but ‘tis how things are.” “You would want it different, Sir?” Her chest tightened. “Aye, lass, that I would. But one man cannae move a mountain. Nae matter how hard he tries.” “No, Sir, but he can work a path around it that will allow others the chance to follow.” Only if that man had the courage to do so. Oh, how she wanted to add that to her words. Telling him that would not be enough, she had to find a way to show him how it could be done. It might take years to learn the skills, 257

Deed Wife the magic she needed, but when she was ready, when she had learned enough then… Then what? Would she have enough power to overthrow the Clans? Isn’t that what her father wanted to do? If so, how did that make her any better than the man who had sold her to Callum in the first place? “That he can, lass, but it’s nae that easy to do,” he nodded, lost in thought for a moment before Callum shook his head and opened up his arms. “Come here, Marion, I’ve missed the feel of ye in my arms and I would remember what it is like to hold ye again.” All thoughts of the politics of the Clans vanished at his words. Marion smiled clearing the distance between them in a moment, melting into his embrace with a soft, content sigh. “I’ve missed this too, Sir, so very much indeed. I thought I might never see you again when Conner took me.” “Why didn’t ye fight Brianna and her brother?” His arms tightened about her body, holding her close to his chest. “Ye should have called out for help, struck at them, done something. I might have heard ye.” “I couldn’t, Sir. It all happened too quickly. I tried to call out, but the spell silenced me and the bag they used stopped me from fighting back that much. I would have only been hit or badly hurt. I couldn’t see because of the sack over my head. It seemed better to wait until I had the chance to truly try something instead of just be beaten for an attempt I knew would fail.” Marion shivered, inhaling his mingled scent of leather, sweat and blood. “You need a bath, Sir.” 258

Terri Pray “Aye, I do at that, but there’s nae one around. So I can wait until we return to the castle.” Callum rubbed the small of her back. “We both need one after the adventures of the past few days.” She wriggled down on his lap, smiling at the feel of his cock hardening beneath her buttocks. “It’s a smell I can live with, my Laird.” “Nae other choice, is there?” Callum chuckled, sliding one hand along her spine into the length of her dark hair. “Ah, I didnae know what to think when she told me ye had run away. I didnae want to believe ye had left me like that. Not after the way ye had clung to me in the night.” “I couldn’t run from you. Not even if I had the chance. I need you, Callum.” She pressed a soft kiss against his throat. “I love you, need you, even though I hate you at times. Lord, how I hate the way things must be.” His grip tightened in her hair, forcing her head back so he could look into her eyes. “Hate me, lass?” “For owning me the way you do.” “And ye didnae mean in the way any man owns a woman who loves him, do ye?” “No, Sir. I wish that was the only way you laid claim to me.” He pulled her closer until his lips were only a heartbeat away. “One day, lass, I pray that will be the only way I own ye.” Her heart sang then screamed in delight as his lips covered hers. Thought faded, swamped into hiding by emotions kept under control until that moment. Her nipples hardened beneath the thin dress, her 259

Deed Wife breath mingling with his, lips parting beneath a firm pressure, his tongue delving into her mouth, exploring, claiming, tasting her. She didn’t care that Conner slept only a short distance away, or that the fae might be watching from the trees, only here, now, his touch, her body, the delight and desire that rippled across her skin as he pressed her down against the blanket now mattered. His grip released from her hair, allowing his strong hands to slip the dress upwards from her thighs once she lay against the woolen material. His kilt caught against her dress for a moment but nothing more, both tossed to the ground along with his shirt. “I want nothing separating us this time, lass.” “Nothing separating us at all, my Master,” she whispered, hips arching towards him, her thighs parting with little more than a light touch of his fingers. Her body recalled what he could do to her, how each touch, each caress along her naked form would leave her enflamed beyond anything else she could imagine. He laid a trail of feather-light kisses down her throat, lingering over her throbbing pulse. She groaned at the feel of his tongue playing a tapping in time to her rapid heartbeat, squirming beneath his weight. His thickening erection brushed against her inner thigh, urging her to part them just a little wider. “I’ve dreamed about holding you in my arms again, lass. Such a short time we were parted, yet I felt like you had been missing for months,” he whispered against her skin. “Hated being apart from you.” Marion clenched 260

Terri Pray her fingers into his back, nails pressing against his shoulder blades. “Never wanted to be apart from you.” “Never again.” He shifted a little further, capturing one taut nipple between his lips, suckling. “Mine, for all time. Mine.” His teeth nipped at the trapped flesh, forcing a cry into life. Marion arched against him, hips raised, pressed to his groin and wrapped her thighs about him. She needed him, wanted him. Not later. Not when he had teased her even further, but now. Right now. She tried to speak, to tell him of her needs, but each touch of his tongue against the trapped nipple only sent her senses into a new rage of delight. Heat rippled through her core, her inner walls tightened on air, demanding to be filled, yet he didn’t move to press within her needful body. He growled into her breast, easing off, but only to lick across to her untouched nipple, claiming it with a low snarl. A beast that was fed only by the heat in her writhing body. Lord, did he know just how he made her feel? “Please.” “Nae yet, lass.” Callum gripped her nipple in his teeth, pulling back until pain shot through her full breast, leaving her groaning as pleasure followed quickly down the scorched path through her senses. His tongue teased the tip of her throbbing nub, his weight resting on one hand as his free hand moved between her thighs to cup her mound. How much of this would he make her endure? It didn’t matter. She’d willingly push her body 261

Deed Wife beyond expectations for him. It would be better if I tried to please him and not just enjoy what he is doing to me, wouldn’t it? Marion leaned closer, nibbling at his shoulder, trailing her fingertips down the length of his spine. He shuddered in delight at her naïve touches, her need to try and please him. She wanted to do more, to do something that would have him crying out with the same passion that she already felt. Memories flashed through her mind. Her other self, the one she had created to please Conner, all the things the two had done together now provided a source of reference. Heat burned in her cheeks, her walls clenching, bottom lip caught between her teeth. She’d shut out so much of her shared memories of the creation’s time with Conner, and now she needed that knowledge if she was going to learn how to please him. Can I do those things to him? She’d have to, if she truly wanted to please him. Marion rolled her hips against his groin, nibbling across his shoulders, nipping at his body. She loved him, even though he was a Highlander, even though he owned her, she still loved him. He groaned under her touch, shifting a little, releasing his hold on her nipple. “Ah, lass, ye keep that up and I’ll be the one losing control.” That was the entire point. “You like this, Master?” She stroked lightly over his curved buttocks, shivering. Such strength in every part of his body, she had forgotten just how he felt, smelled and tasted. “Aye, lass, I do.” He nibbled down the taut plane 262

Terri Pray of her belly, easing down to her soft curls. “But now I want to taste ye.” Taste? For a moment her mind refused to understand what he meant, until he shifted enough to lick across her labia. She whimpered, pressing her heels against the blanket, lifting her hips upwards towards his face. He grasped her buttocks, lifting her up a little more, parting her lower lips with his tongue. His lips touched her clit, and she nearly lost control in that moment. Lords, how am I supposed to tease him when he’s down there? Not that she really cared when he pulled her clit into his mouth, growling into the sensitive nub. Her inner walls coated with liquid heat, her heels digging into his back, thighs taut as she rocked against his mouth. She groaned, reaching out to grasp his hair, holding him close to her sex. Nothing else could feel this good. Could it? He pressed one finger into her clenching sex, probing against her tight walls. She cried out, pleasure ruling her every nerve ending. A second finger joined the first, pushing at her walls, forcing them apart. Marion’s eyes closed, her back arching, fingers tight in his hair. She whimpered, breath coming in short gasps; colors swam across her closed eyes, thought no longer answering to her command. She pressed down against his fingers, fucking onto them, need and tingling waves of near painful sensation built with each rock of her willing body. 263

Deed Wife Without warning, he pulled his now slick fingers from her vulva, shifting his weight just a little. Marion blinked, shock and fear mingling as she felt the tip of one finger press against the tight circle of muscle. He was going to touch her ass, push within her body that way. No. He couldn’t. She wouldn’t let him. It was wrong. He pressed lightly against the tight ring of muscle. Gods, it felt so good. How could anything this wonderful be wrong? Her hips pressed down against his finger. Her dark ring of muscle relaxed for a moment, only to tighten on a finger still slick from her pleasure. She groaned, lifting up only to press down further onto his finger. He purred against her clit, sending waves of delight through her. She wanted to force him to stay against her sex for hours. She arched, heels pressing to the blanket, half-lifting her body up from the ground. He pressed his finger deeper into her dark confines, sliding it slowly in and out, beginning a rhythm that forced her higher by the moment. “More?” He smiled against her lower lips, only to then suckle them into his mouth, flickering his tongue over their trapped forms. “Yes,” she hissed. Strands of hair snapped under her fingers, her hips ground down with a life of their own. Her inner walls rippled, tightened only to open again, seeking something, anything that would press against her sensitive core. She tried to speak, to add 264

Terri Pray more to the single word she had uttered, but she lacked the strength required. Anything she said now might have come out as nothing more than a whimper, or garbled moan. She no longer held any control over her body, it danced to a tune he set, ruled by a passion that threatened to consume her completely. Slick heat coated her inner thighs as he teased, licked and growled into her throbbing lips. Her ass tightened on his finger, pain and pleasure mixed in equal proportion, the sense that this was wrong only adding to the maelstrom of delight that wrapped about her mind. His finger slid in and out of her ass, pressing against nerves she had never known existed until that moment. Her cunt ached to be filled, to know the pleasure that her ass now enjoyed, but Callum showed no sign of relenting. “One day I will take ye here.” Callum lifted away from her clit, thrusting his finger deeper into the dark damp recesses of her clenching ass. “But ye are far from ready for that yet.” There? He wanted to take her there? No, I won’t let him. It’s–oh, gods, that feels good. Pleasure rushed through her body, forcing her further, deeper into the storm. The ground faded away beneath her body, the chill of the night air, the crackle of the fire, it was all swallowed, washed to one side by the sensations he forced her through time and again. Lights of a thousand colors flashed across her eyes. Fear swelled with the increasing tidal wave that 265

Deed Wife threatened to crash down into her body in the form of repeated ripples through her cunt. She couldn’t do this. It was too much. She’d be lost in the sensation, unable to ever return. What if he pushed her too far? What if she never found her way back? What if… It didn’t matter. She wasn’t the one in control of the situation. He was. Her Laird, her bold Highlander. He was the one that had followed her magical call for aid and found her when she had been stolen from his side. How could she ever, now, refuse him? She couldn’t, yet somehow she still tried to hold back from the full force of the desire he had brought to life in her willing body. Callum Jacobs not only ruled the situation but her body, heart and very soul. “Cum for me, my lass, cum for me,” he all but growled into her clit. Marion squirmed under this touch, her back arched, heels pressed against the blanket. No matter what she did, she could not move away from his insistent touches between her thighs. His finger moved within her ass, stroking the tight muscles, forcing her body into shuddering spasms of sheer bliss. Sweat beaded across her body, her breath came in sharp, gulped gasps for air. She tried to fight that push to cum, that need to obey and give into the need that coated her inner walls and thighs alike, but fear held her back. “Let go of it all, lass.” He lifted away just enough that he could speak. 266

Terri Pray And plunge into the abyss. “Give into the pleasure, feel it to your depths.” And never return, be lost for eternity. “I love you.” He whispered those three words against her clit. Lord, I can’t stop this...please, I… She screamed, her ass lifting from the floor, back threatening to crack with the arch she forced into her body. Hair broke under the grip she still had on his dark mane. Tears streamed down her face, every nerve ending had been stripped bare under the torrent of sensual delight he had forced her to endure and now the walls of her sanity came crashing down about her ears with each shudder of her quivering vulva. She thought she had been taken to the point of ultimate delight—a thought that died when he pulled away from her clenching fingers and thrust deep between her thighs. Her screams echoed in the clearing, mingling with the sounds of the cool night. He drove into her trembling body again and again, crying out her name, forcing her from one shuddering wave of pleasure into the next until her mind fled into the one place left—into the dark sanctuary of the night.

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Chapter Twenty

W

ake up, Marion. Blue’s voice rang clearly through her still numb mind. You’ve slept quite enough, so come on, wake up. We don’t have long before those males of yours start to move. I don’t know how you managed to sleep through their damn snoring, but I guess you’re a little more tolerant than I am. Really, it’s hard to imagine that you have fae blood in your veins if a little sex leaves you stunned like this. Marion blinked, her mind refusing to form coherent thought. Come on, already. What did he do, fuck your damn brains out? I would have thought the fae blood in you to be a mite stronger than that. It was just sex. Far more than just sex. Delicious, wonderful, heavenly sex and he’d said he loved her. The one set of words she had needed to hear above all others, and he’d uttered them within hearing range of another Highlander. Right, and he played you very nicely by doing that. Honestly, can’t you see what he’s doing? Played me? Her hands clenched into tight fists. Hah, it worked. At least you’re now talking to me properly. What took you so long to wake up? I was enjoying my sleep. Marion glanced over at the still sleeping Callum and smiled. His arms were still wrapped tightly about her body, her clothes and his 268

Terri Pray lay in a pile within grabbing range and her skin still tingled in the aftermath of what they had shared. He does love me, he wasn’t playing me. How do you know? Because he said so where Conner could hear him. Highlanders don’t say things in the hearing of another unless they mean it. The honest Highlanders, who kept their word and never betrayed another of their kind. So where did Brianna fall into that? All right, so those true to their ways don’t say things in the hearing of others unless they mean it. Oh, girl, you really are naïve, aren’t you? Men will say anything they need to in order to get what they want from a woman. Human or fae, they really aren’t any different there. He’s not like that. She tensed, barely able to keep control of her fury. Bah, you’ll find out one of these days, the fae snapped. What’s wrong with you, Blue? You liked him yesterday. Marion frowned, trying to force her way past her anger at the creature. That was yesterday before—well, before I had to sit at the edge of the circle and watch you two go at it like bunnies. You’re jealous. She only just swallowed the laugh. I am not. He’s just a human, and well… You watched what was going on and now you’re jealous that you weren’t enjoying yourself as well. Marion knew she should have been embarrassed by the thought of two people—well beings—spying on the intimate delights she had shared with Callum, but for some reason she’d just accepted that had happened. She’d 269

Deed Wife changed so much within only a few short days that she no longer recognized herself as the woman who had walked to the cottage. That young woman would have been mortified, but here she was talking to a fae in the back of her mind and able to almost shrug off the fact there had been watchers to the events by the fire. Look, I’m not jealous. I’m just, well, lonely from time to time, that’s all. You should try living my life for a while. I’ve not had a little male company for close to fifty years.” So you woke me up because of that? Wonderful, she could have enjoyed a little more sleep. No, no, of course not. What do you think I am, some sort of petty human? I’m in a bad mood, but I wouldn’t do that to you. Now to a human, sure, but one carrying the blood of my kind, no, that’s just not polite to do. All right, why, then? If she was lucky, she could get this finished with Blue and then curl back up fully with Callum for a few more hours. The sky hadn’t even begun to shift towards the lighter shades of blue that hinted at pre-dawn. I woke you up to let you know that Brianna’s been using magic to try and track down your man. What? Marion almost jolted from Callum’s arms. Oh, don’t worry, she doesn’t know you are with him, or Conner. I made certain of that. I don’t need her doing something that leaves you hurt, or dead. You really don’t know enough to defend yourself against magical attacks just yet, and she’s got a little extra help in this. You’re going to love this one; it’s too twisted for words. I can’t help but wonder if she had this planned all along. In fact, it’s almost twisted enough to be a fae plan. I could come to 270

Terri Pray admire the woman. Blue… Sorry. All right, she’s made a pact with a blood witch and bargained off her brother in exchange for the aid. She seems to think that’s going to get her what she wants. She really is a nasty piece of work, you know. Blood witch? The term sounded like one she had heard before, but in her sleepy state her mind refused to supply the answers Marion needed. Yes, a blood witch. Don’t you remember what one is? Oh he really did bounce your mind about a good deal, then. Perhaps I should come back when you’ve recovered. Though I’m not sure we have a few years to spare. Blue! I don’t have time for this. You’re funny at times. I can see why other fae like to tease humans. All right, a blood witch is a human that has made a blood pact with a powerful member of the fae court and feeds on blood during his or her magical workings. They seem to think it gives them more powers, and the fae that get involved in that like the mischief it causes. Sometimes one of the fae will teach the human a few spells that would be best kept out of human hands, but they get anything they want from the human in exchange for that power. As I understand it, the blood witch wants Robert’s blood, after she’s tired of his body at least. She seems to think that it will give her a little more magical power. It won’t, of course, but belief is a power of a different kind. If someone has a strong enough belief in themselves, they can tap a stream of magic that another without that belief will be unable to use. What type of belief? In themselves, in the path they are walking, in the bonds 271

Deed Wife of blood magic—even though they are lies--or in the love of another human being. Even in a religion. The type of belief dictates the type of magic unleashed, but someone without that strength of purpose will not be able to tap any of the oldest magic. Of course you’re half fae, so you can learn our normal magic and bring in your strength of belief-once you figure out what that is--to channel the magic into a stronger, more powerful form. Or so the theory goes. It’s been a long time since there was a half-breed, and I’m not exactly the right one to teach you. I kind of prefer to just play with the elements a bit. Oh, well, beggars can’t be choosers. So she’s using this belief in order to gain extra power and kill the man she once loved? I’m not sure she ever truly loved your man, or even if she understood what love is. Power, yes, that’s something she grasps the concept of. Marion chewed slowly on her bottom lip, then looked over at the sleeping man at her side. How would he take a betrayal of such depth? Robert and Brianna had been a part of his life from the start. And for this to happen… Silly, Robert doesn’t know it’s being taken this far. He’d never sanction his sister trading him off to the blood witch. That made sense. The Highlanders did not take kindly to being treated as property, or traded off from one area to the next. The idea of selling him to a witch? No he’d fight such a thing. So what had pushed Brianna that far? I’m not sure, I can’t get that close to her, nor can my friends. So how are you managing to find out these things? 272

Terri Pray The stuff with the blood witch, of course. That involves magic, and so involves my people. It’s easy to find out what humans are doing when it involves our powers, or someone that would make a trade via a blood witch, a demon or a wizard. There are dozens of small things she can do or take part in that will let us know what is going on. It’s just a case of waiting a little longer and she’ll make a mistake. We hope. They all make mistakes in time. It’s the nature of humanity. I’m not saying fae don’t make mistakes as well, we do. It’s just more fun when we do it. Things tend to explode in such interesting multicolored lights when it happens. You should have seen the last wave of lights...then again, you might have still been living too far south for that. Pardon? We turn them into what you humans commonly call the northern lights. It gives us a way of channeling the power into something harmless. If Marion had been able to grasp the fae, she would have been tempted to throttle it. We’re getting off track, and Callum will be awake soon. I need to know what to do. Keep your man from going off half-cocked, keep your ears open and watch for magic traps. I think I know what he has in mind, and it will not be easy for you. Or that Conner. Conner, there was another problem. How could she trust a man that was so easily bought? Will he betray us? Conner, I mean? No, he’s given his word, and even as an outcast he values his code, as strange as that might sound. Still, there are a few that might recognize him along the way. Just be 273

Deed Wife on the watch. I’ll be in calling range, I just can’t sit in the back of your mind on the trip, and it might alert a few fae that would think it funny to ruin your plans. We have— shall we say, an odd taste in practical jokes. Practical jokes. Wonderful. This wasn’t what she needed to deal with. All right, anything else I need to be aware of? Just that, and listen to your instincts. The soft tingling feeling at the back of her mind faded with the words. Her instincts? That sounded easy, yet Marion already had a good idea that would be one of the hardest things of all to learn. Did that include listening to those same instincts in how to use magic? Blue hadn’t taught her much in the way of using the power she had been born with, only two spells, or ways to channel it. Still, it gave her something to work from. Didn’t it? Callum mumbled in his sleep, reaching out, then tightening his grip on her waist to pull her tighter against his chest. She smiled at the warmth he offered her, the safety of his touch. This was where she belonged. In his arms, wrapped in his warmth. The small details of the Clans being unable to approve of his choice in partner, the siblings back at the castle planning to tear them apart and then killing Callum off, the blood witch and anything else that stood in their path now faded into the back of her mind. At least for now. ****** 274

Terri Pray “Wake up, lass, ye have slept too long and we need to be going soon.” Callum’s voice whispered against her ear. She yawned, stretching against him, her ass pressed into his groin eliciting a low moan of pleasure. “I’m awake, Sir.” “Good.” His grasp tightened on her waist. “Ah, lass, it would be tempting to spend the next few days here with ye if I didnae have to go and sort out that mess that damn woman has caused in my home.” “I know, Sir, I would love that myself, but your home and people come first.” “Indeed.” He held her close against his chest for a moment longer, then released his grasp, rolling away from her. “So up, food and then we can move. Conner, are ye awake?” Conner grunted. “Well, he will be a little longer waking up. Understandable. I did hit him a little hard yesterday.” Callum grabbed his kilt, wrapping it back about his waist before he pulled on his shirt. “Hm, I’ll be glad when I can wash off fully. Somehow a cold stream doesnae seem that appealing to me right now.” “Nor to me, Sir.” Marion let her gaze wander blatantly across his body, lingering on his groin in the moments before the kilt hid it from view. “Did you want me to get the fire built back up, Sir? Or will we be eating on the road?” “On the road.” He glanced towards the fire. “When Conner is awake, ye can put the fire out fully, won’t take long to do, then we can head out. I’ll have to use some magic to speed up our trip.” 275

Deed Wife “Won’t she be able to sense the magic being used, Sir?” “Nae, lass, fae can do that, or so the stories go.” Well, that matched what Blue had told her. “All right, so we can risk the spells. But what if she has someone else working for her now? A person who can ask the fae for help in depth, with a way of using magic that they wouldn’t normally be able to use. Like a blood witch.” “They are nae permitted to work their magic without the permission of the Clan council.” Callum frowned slightly, peering at her. “And where has this interest in magic and how it works come from?” “Sir, it’s part of life here, so of course I want to know how it works.” How could she tell him that some didn’t care about the rules? “There’s more to it than that, lass. I can see it in ye eyes.” Marion shifted a little as she pushed fully to her feet. “I’m just worried. Brianna has already done things she shouldn’t have done. Betrayed you, and she isn’t above betraying others as well if it gets her what she wants. We both know that.” Callum scowled, his jaw tightening. “I’m sorry, Sir, I shouldn’t have said anything about this.” “Nae, ye are right, lass. I didnae like the idea any more than I liked what ye told me last night, but ye and Conner were right about that as well. I didnae know that she wouldn’t break Clan law on using other sources of magic. I didnae know how low she would stoop to get what she wants now.” His gaze 276

Terri Pray turned coal black, his shoulders tightening fully. “I will deal with the woman myself, and she will nae like the consequences of her actions. Brianna doesnae have the training in the arts that I was given, so she has nae idea just what I am capable of doing.”

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Chapter Twenty-One he camp lay far behind them now, and the day

Thad slowly darkened even as the horses had eaten

up the ground beneath them, faster than she had seen the beasts move before, the magic powerful enough that it left her skin shrinking in pain. If it hadn’t been for the concentration Callum had poured into the spell he would have seen the affect the magic had on her. Each new wave of spells poured into their mounts sent fresh pain through her body, leaving her struggling to keep on the back of the horse, her fingers dug into the belt she gripped tight to. Sweat beaded on her flesh as she fought to find a way to push the pain away. To do something that would keep her on the back of the horse and not force her to fail in such a simple thing as holding on tight during the journey. Yet the waves of agony continued through her body, her breathing reduced to short, sharp gasps, the color faded from her face and the warmth fled her being. She tried to build a wall within her mind, using the same level of concentration she had used to create her replacement. But it crumbled with each fresh assault of pain. How did the fae survive this? There had to be something she hadn’t learned how to use that they did with little work at all. Marion hissed, blanching at the new jolt of magic. The only good thing about this was the fact Callum 278

Terri Pray couldn’t see what was going on. But whilst he missed it, Conner did not. “My Laird, we need to stop,” Conner called out, moving his mount closer to the one shared by both Marion and her love. “We didnae have the time.” “Make the time, unless ye want to kill the lass.” That, if nothing else, got the reaction Conner wanted. Despite her fear, Marion sighed in relief as the horses stopped and the spell dissipated before Callum dismounted and eased her from the saddle. “Heaven have mercy, what’s wrong with ye, lass?” He wrapped his arms tight about her trembling form then began to move her away from the horse. “Ye look ill. Have ye been pushed too far, or did something happen to ye when Brianna had ye taken from the castle?” “Tired, Sir.” She tried to say more, but even now she could feel the after affects of the magic rippling through her body. “Just tired, and nothing more.” Even as she tried to explain she knew he wasn’t going to believe her. But Blue’s warning still echoed in the back of her mind. “Nae, ‘tis more than that. I’m nae a fool, lass. There’s something going on here with ye. Are ye sick?” Marion shook her head. How could she tell him what was going on? “’Tis the magic, it’s affecting her somehow. I saw it each time ye doubled the spell.” Conner slipped down from the back of his own horse and unhooked a skin from the saddle, pressing it into her hands. 279

Deed Wife “Drink, lass, ye are shaking like a leaf.” “How can the magic be affecting her?” “I’m nae sure, but I know what I saw, my Laird. I think the lass has a wee bit of explaining to do. And if I am right, it is something that will nae be easily believed at all.” Marion flashed him a pleading look. This wasn’t the time, or the place. How could she explain something that she barely understood herself? “Ye are talking about something from a myth.” Callum helped her to sit down on a nearby mosscovered log. He frowned, reaching out to touch her face only to pull back, his jaw set. “My lass, ye need to be telling us what has happened.” “You will not want me any more, Sir.” Her greatest fear gained a voice. “You will send me away if I tell you. I don’t want that to happen. I need you.” “Tell me what it is. I won’t cast you aside. I love ye, Marion, despite the place ye were born.” Yet still he held back from touching her again. “Unless ye tell me that ye have been sent to work against me, lass, then there is nothing that could separate us. But what I will do if ye didnae tell me the truth is turn ye over my knee here and now to turn that pretty ass of yours a bright red until ye ready to speak.” She bit into her bottom lip, torn between needing to tell him and the desire to follow Blue’s advice. “Please, Sir, I can’t tell you. I just can’t.” “Ye can and ye will, my girl.” He grasped her shoulder tightly. “I…I think—well, I’ve been told that I have some fae in me.” Marion couldn’t meet his gaze. 280

Terri Pray “Who told ye?” Callum’s voice grew cold, his fingers tightening into her body enough that she knew only too well there would be bruises by the following day. “I need to know just who told ye this lie. What has happened to ye that ye think I will fall for such ploys as this?” “A fae.” Gods, was this it? Was he already pulling back from her? Better that he had never said the fatal words ‘I love you’ to her if he was now going to shut her out. “I see, and why should I believe that a lass born south of the border would have even a trace of fae blood in her veins?” “Half fae, so it’s a little more than a trace.” In for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying went. “I didn’t know until yesterday, I swear it.” Callum turned away from her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “This is nae possible. Nae at all. There has nae been a half-breed in generations, and even then those are only stories. I didnae know what type of game ye are trying to play with me, girl, but I am nae impressed at all.” “Please, you have to believe me, Sir.” She sucked in her bottom lip between her teeth, pain wrapped about her heart, tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I’m not lying, Sir. I swear it. The fae told me. She’s the one who helped me send a message to ye. She showed me how to use the magic, watch. I can show you, if you just give me a moment to do so.” For a minute no one moved, then Callum grunted. “Do so.” She wasn’t sure at first what she was going to do, 281

Deed Wife but then it came to her. The same flicker of multicolored lights she had seen used by others. That seemed simple enough when she thought about the magic she had been able to do with Blue’s guidance. Marion closed her eyes, trying to imagine the flickering lights in place. “Well, get on with it—Lord, have mercy,” Callum gasped. Marion opened her eyes quickly. She’d not felt even a soft tingle of warning, yet there they were, the small dancing, flickering lights that she had summoned. So very like the ones she had seen others display, yet somehow more vibrant. They swirled about her palm like a miniature whirl wind, lifting higher and higher into the air before they dissipated without a sound. “Well, it certainly looks as though she is telling the truth, Laird. The fae would nae have taught her to use magic if she were nae one of their kind. They aren’t the type to break their word.” Conner smiled, though the color had drained from his face. “Ah,” Callum turned, his gaze narrowed on her intently. “So ye lied about how ye managed to get hold of me, but now ye are telling me the truth. What next? Which part are ye going to lie to me about next? Why should I trust ye after this little display?” “Sir, I didn’t know. Please, you have to believe me.” Marion forced herself to her feet. “You said you wouldn’t cast me aside, but you’re acting as if you’re about to.” “Prove to me that ye are telling me the truth and nae lying.” 282

Terri Pray “I…I used a spell to contact you, the fae just showed me how to do it. And every time you doubled the spell to move us faster on this trip, I felt it.” She thought for a moment, counting up the waves of pain she had felt. “You doubled it twenty times, the last time hurt the worst.” Callum visibly shook, the color gone from his face. “Ye are telling me the truth, aren’t ye? Ye aren’t some lass that has been taught the magic, ye are part fae. One of the magic born. Oh, gods ,what have I taken into my care!” She nodded, taking a slow breath. “I’m still the same woman you made love to only last night.” “Things have changed. Ye have changed. I didnae know what to make of ye now. I cannae deal with this. I didnae know how to cope with this. Such a thing has never happened in living memory. There are but rumors of this, stories for children. Ah, lass, I am trying to see ye still as the woman I want but ye are nae the same now, not if ye are part fae.” A tight band settled about Marion’s heart. “Nae, they haven’t changed.” Conner settled down close by, rubbing one thumb over the bruises that were now changing color on his face. “She’s still the same lass ye came to rescue. And ye certainly were determined to get her back from me, weren’t ye?” “Are ye out of ye mind? Things have changed completely. She’s either a liar or she’s been in on this from the start. A changeling. That’s what she is, a change child. Would I be a wise man if I kept her close to work her magic about me? God’s truth, she may well have already used it on me. The message 283

Deed Wife through the fire, my feelings for her, the way she looks. All know that the fae change their shape to suit their whims. How can I be certain that she has nae bewitched me?” Callum paced, keeping well out of Marion’s reach. “Nae, I’ll not keep her near me. She is unwelcome, a spawn of the magic and unholy alliance with a mortal. Cursed, she is. I would be best to slit her throat and feed her blood to the earth. Get the bitch out of my sight before I kill her. Go on, I didnae care what ye do with her, just take her away. I need some time to think this through.” Never had a set of words slashed so deeply into her heart as the ones she heard now. How could he be so cruel, how could he change from the man who loved her to this, into someone who would kill her if he thought it would absolve him of his love for her. Without waiting for Conner, she turned and ran into the trees. Blue had been right. How could she have trusted him to love her? Branches caught at her thin dress, clawing at her face and against her body. Tears blinded her vision, but that still didn’t stop her from running. Nor did Conner’s calls for her to stop do anything to slow her flight. Callum. Gods, Callum. The further she ran the less the magic-induced pains affected her, and the greater the pain about her heart became. “Marion!” The voice barely registered as she ran headlong through the forest. What had she done in telling him? How could she have ever thought he 284

Terri Pray would believe her, and not look at her as if she was insane, or a monster. He didn’t want her, need her or love her any more. And all because of the man who had fathered her. No, not a man, a fae. “Marion, come back here! Ye will be hurt out here.” Conner’s voice, not Callum’s. He neither wanted nor needed her anymore. She ran until her lungs threatened to burst, her heart thrown from one emotion to another then back into the next. There was nothing here for her. She couldn’t stay, didn’t dare to stay with him no matter what. He would always see her now as a freak, a monster, something to be ignored. He’d take a new Deed Wife, or a real bride; he might even mend things between himself and Brianna. Anything would be better for him than keeping a being like her at his side. Her legs gave out, spilling her to the damp ground. Moss and dirt dug beneath her nails as she clung to the very earth, sobbing out her pain and frustration. Why had he done this to her? She wasn’t an evil person, it wasn’t even her fault that she had been born like this. If he hadn’t demanded that she be handed over to him as his Deed Wife, then this would never have happened in the first place. She could have spent the rest of her life with her family, perhaps even traveling overseas to the Americas. Instead, she had been thrust into this mess. And into the arms of a man she now loved and a man who no longer loved her. She should have known better. Even the fae had tried to warn her, and she had refused to listen. Now 285

Deed Wife it was too late. If she had taken note of what had been said to her and maybe, just maybe, found a way to hide the affects the use of magic was having on her then… Then it would have just delayed how long it would have been before Callum discovered what I really am. “Marion!” Conner called out, the snaps of the undergrowth alerting her to just where he walked. Close by, but still enough of a distance that she had the chance to pull herself under the edge of a thick bramble bush. Even the sharp pain of the thorns scraping into her skin didn’t stop her from seeking the safety offered by the bush. Trembling, she pulled herself into the center of the bush, keeping low to the damp ground, biting into her bottom lip in the effort to keep quiet. “Any sign of her?” Callum. Please, just go away. Leave me alone. I don’t want to be hurt any more. “Nae yet, but give me a few and I’ll be able to find her. She’s nae used to the forest, and there are tracks. Just need to follow them.” Tracks. No. They mustn’t find me. Marion reached out, trying to tap the magic in the same way she had been shown how to create the other image of herself. Yet this time she reached out across the forest floor, smoothing over the signs of her passage. Only when the last of the marks had been erased did she realize what she had done. Is it really that easy? I just think about it and I can do it? Where are the spells, the waving of hands, the muttered 286

Terri Pray incantations I had been told were a part of magic. Blue had told her it worked differently for those of fae blood, and she did fall into that number. Still, she hadn’t quite expected it to work that way, despite what had been said. Marion chewed slowly on her bottom lip as she listened to the footfalls of the men hunting for her. Why would Callum want to find her? To be rid of her once and for all? Or to sell her off, perhaps find a way to send her to back to the fae, or her father. No, she couldn’t let that happen. “Marion, where are ye, lass? Come out. I didnae mean what I said. ‘Tis just that ye upset me. I was nae expecting ye to tell me something like that. Please, Marion, come out and talk to me.” Callum walked closer, she could almost see him through the dense bush, though he was little more than a pair of boots and an outline. Can I believe him? No, no, I can’t. It hurt how he treated me, gods, how it hurt. What did I do to him to deserve that? “Callum, Laird, ye owe the lass a real apology if ye ever find her. She’s been hurt bad. She went through a lot to get back to ye, even seduced me, though I thought she actually enjoyed it for a while. Still, she did that for ye.” For him, she had almost sold her very soul for Callum by having sex with Conner. Yet she had tried, pushed herself to the point where she had almost been sick. If Blue hadn’t been there to show her the way to use her magic, to produce that other self, then—then she’d now never know what she would 287

Deed Wife have done. “Aye, didnae be telling me something I already know.” “How about I tell ye that ye are a fool for treating the lass in such a way. She’d been through enough. Aye, I know, she’s a Deed Wife, nae of the Clans, but does it mean she isn’t able to feel? Or that she has nae right to love ye? And yes, she does love ye,” Conner growled, closing the distance between himself and Callum. “Ye have a lot to learn about women, especially ones that fall for ye. Ye have already turned one woman against ye, now ye seek to do that to another.” She bit into her bottom lip, struggling to stay silent and hidden. “How dare ye speak to me in such a manner.” “Oh, I dare, and I have nothing to lose in doing so. I’m already an outlaw, one who walks outside of the structure of the Clans and our families. Our people have changed since the magic was given to us, but we’re still blind in many respects. Ye set the fire in the heart of the woman known as Brianna. Then ye turned ye back on her, hoping she would never take it any further, that she would come to love another.” “Watch ye tongue.” Callum growled. “For what, for telling ye what no other man has dared to? The truth?” “How do ye know what the truth is?” “Half the Clans know that Brianna has been planning ye wedding for the past five years or more. Ye are the only one who has been blind to the problem, and now ye have let the woman so angry 288

Terri Pray that she’s ready to get ye child, then kill ye off. Ye are nothing but a potential stud to her mare now. A breeding line. That’s how far ye have pushed the woman.” She heard the blow, the sound of fist against flesh before she saw Conner’s body hit the ground. “Ye will nae say that to my face again, is that clear.” “Why, ye afraid of facing the truth?” “Ye lying bastard. I did nothing to push the woman to such a thing. She did that of her own free will. I’ve never mistreated Brianna. She’s been a sister to me. An ambitious sister, but still blood.” Callum glowered down at the prostate Conner, his hands clenched into tight fists. “I would have made sure she was looked after if she had nae started her damn games when I brought Marion home.” “Aye, Marion. Another lass ye have driven into hiding with ye callous ways.” Conner rubbed the back of his hand over his bleeding lips. “How many others will ye hurt in such a manner as this? She could be halfway to hell for all we now know. Thanks to ye. If ye had held ye tongue, taken control of ye temper instead of letting it rule ye, then she wouldn’t have run. Ye sliced into her heart with ye words, and then expect the lass to come back to ye?” “I need her to come back, do ye nae understand that? So I’ll nae listen to ye words. She will return to me. I will nae permit anything else to happen.” “And why do you need her? Go on, say the words. What harm will it do now, ye have already lost her with ye foolishness.” Marion shook violently, her nails digging into her 289

Deed Wife palms, sobs swallowed for fear that one or both men would hear them and drag her out of the safety of her current hiding place. What if he’s really sorry for what he said? That he needed her, could he be telling the truth? What did it matter if he was telling the truth or not? He had sent her away with his words and she was loath to return only to be the target of more hurtful accusations. “Ye keep pushing, don’t ye?” Callum growled, shaking violently—or so it seemed from where Marion was hidden. “Do ye want me to kill ye, for I’m sorely tempted to with what ye have been saying to me.” “So go ahead, do it. Leave yeself alone with all the problems ye will be facing when ye make ye way home. Do ye think Brianna will welcome ye back with a real smile, or will she be waiting to plunge a dagger in ye back once the babe is born?” Conner forced himself back to his feet. “Think about it, lad. Ye will be tossing everything away if ye didnae find the courage to admit the truth and shout it to the world. Ye will nae be the first one to have fallen in love, deeply in love with a Deed Wife, but ye could be the first to proclaim it publicly to the Clans and dare them to deny ye the right to love her.” Callum took a dozen steps backwards, almost stumbling on an exposed root. “They would strip me of my position.” “Says who?” “Everyone knows that is the fate for denying the Clan laws.” 290

Terri Pray “Ah, lad, ‘tis a rumor, nothing more. The Clan council has never had the power to strip individuals like that. It was formed to deal with matters concerning the use of magic. And ye are speaking of love; a passion that has driven our people since before the fae ever laid their touch upon us. And think on this. Ye lass is half blood fae. Why would they ever have a problem with ye being in love with one of the blessed?” Conner sat down on a stump, rubbing his chin. One of the blessed? Is that what she now was? If so why had he looked at her with such fear and loathing? “Blessed, I didnae know if they will remember that part of the stories. Aye, she has been blessed by the magic that freed us from the English in the first place, but she is also half English. Ye know how many will say I have become soft.” Callum’s shoulders slumped. “Ah, lass, I wish ye were here now, I never wanted to drive ye away like this. I didnae want to drive ye away at all.” She wanted to find the courage to believe him, to have faith in him again, as she had before he had given life to those vile words, but the hurt was too deep, too fresh. Love didn’t have the right to lash out like that; it wasn’t meant to be used as a weapon that would cut to the heart. No. She couldn’t run the risk of returning to him. He had hurt her, badly, and even though she could hear the regret in his words, what was to stop him from doing it again if he ever saw her use the magic she now carried in her soul? “I’ve lost her, haven’t I?” Callum sat down hard on 291

Deed Wife the ground. “Aye, ye might well have done, lad. If so, then it is something ye will have to live with and then find a way to continue on with ye life. Ye will still have to deal with the problems Brianna and her brother have caused. Without the lass, ye are facing a problem there.” Conner rubbed his jaw slowly. “Ye really messed up.” “Aye, without her, I didnae have the proof I need for the Clans.” He needs me. Oh, Lord have mercy, he needs me. I can’t leave him to face the Clans on his own. He won’t be able to convince the Clans, or whoever he was planning on exposing Brianna to. He’ll be left without any evidence at all. No, that wasn’t quite true. Callum would still have Conner to lean on there, but how much help would he be? The man had been bought by Brianna and then sold out after a few punches to the face. Not how I looked at it when I heard the screams, is it? I thought he was just about killing Conner. Things had changed. She had changed. And now Callum had turned into the monster from her worst nightmares. How often had she dreamt of the cruel Highlander who would use her and toss her aside when she no longer suited his needs during her trip north? “Do ye want to wait and see if she will come back to ye, lad? Or do we push on and make the best of things?” “There’s nae point in going on without her. And didnae think I am being soft and talking about love, 292

Terri Pray I’m not speaking of that, but of the problems waiting for me if I arrive without proof and try to face them.” Callum didn’t move, his shoulders slumped. “I’ve ruined everything, damn my pride.” “Then ‘tis best ye figure out what ye will do about it, or ye can sit there and mope for the rest of the night. But I’ll be setting the camp up whilst ye sink into ye dark thoughts and self pity.” Conner turned, taking but a handful of steps away before he added one more thing. “However if I were ye, I would be begging the very trees themselves to forgive ye, promising them that ye will never treat the lass in such a fashion again and begging the ground to open up beneath ye if ye are speaking false.”

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Chapter Twenty-Two h, lass, I am sorry, so verra sorry for what I did to ye.” Callum rested his head in his hands. He hadn’t moved since Conner had left him alone in the partial clearing near the bush. “I should never have said such things to ye. Never.” Marion didn’t dare move. Why hadn’t they chosen somewhere else to stop and have that conversation? At least that way she wouldn’t have heard his regrets. Because I made them stop here, silly girl. Blue? Who else? I swear, you’ve almost no fae sense about you or you’d realize that he truly is sorry for what he said. He’s human. He has that normal level of fear for our kind. They don’t know what to do with that type of power except use it for their benefit. And the thought of you having that power running through your veins without being born in the Highlands or having the teachings of one of the Clans just frightened him more than he thought possible. Fear. He was afraid of her? Of course he is, why else would he say such things when he loves you? I wish I knew. I don’t understand him any more. I truly don’t. I’m not sure I ever did or will. Well, of course you don’t. He’s male, you’re female.” Callum still hadn’t moved. I can’t go back to him.

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Terri Pray “Whyever not? You love him. He loves you. Just because he’s said a few nasty things to you doesn’t mean he will do it again. Humans are rather odd creatures like that. Besides, if he does it again, you can always turn him into a frog.” A frog? You’re joking, right? No, of course not. Where do you think the stories came from about witches turning people into frogs? It wasn’t the humans that did it, we do it. And mice, bats, the occasional snake or pig. It really depends on how annoyed we are at the human. It’s a very simple piece of magic to do, in all honesty. Marion tried to imagine doing that to Callum, but no matter how upset she was with him, she just couldn’t quite see it happening. I should have found a way to stop the magic from hurting me the way it did, or come up with a good lie. No point crying about it now, it’s done. The question is, what will you do now? That she didn’t have an answer to. “Ah, lass, my lass. I’ve lost ye, and it’s my own fault. I didnae blame ye for running like that. Nae one bit. ‘Tis my own doing. I should have curbed my temper and listened to ye.” Callum’s voice carried easily to her hiding place. Her heart tore in two. She needed to be with him, no matter how much she still hurt. She could hear the pain in his voice, and the drive to crawl out from under the bush and to his feet, pressing a hundred kisses there until he forgave her for running away, was almost overpowering. Well, you can always go to him, but the question is how. 295

Deed Wife As the avenging fae, or the submissive woman you still crave to be with him. Or you could be both. I’m not sure I understand. Of course you do, just listen to your instincts. Let him know you are both of those things and more. And never let him forget that submitting to him now is your choice. Yours. Not his, not the decision of your human father, not anyone else’s— only ever yours, from this point onwards. Did she want to do that, go to him? Gods, yes. Oh, Lord, yes I do. I have to. I need to. I need him. She peered out from beneath the bottom of the shrub. Callum hadn’t moved. He still sat there, his head in his hands, shoulders slumped. The pride had been knocked from him, all the arrogance she had seen in those first few days together had been drained away. He needed her. She wanted him. So what was stopping her? Her own pride? No, she had none of that left, what little had existed had been knocked out of her over the years. Oh, please, don’t even try that line on me. You have your own type of pride, or his words would have just rolled over you. You’d have seen them for the anger and fear that they were, but humans don’t understand that much about themselves. Well, come on, girl, are you going to lie here all day or will you actually do something about this? He’s ready for you, more so than he will ever be again. Go, now. Before he begins to rebuild the wall about his heart. Is that what would happen? Would he shut himself 296

Terri Pray off from being in love again if she didn’t find the courage to go to him? She couldn’t take that risk. Slowly Marion crept out from beneath the bush, summoning the magic that now answered so easily to her call. It coated her skin in a light that wrapped her body in a blue white glow. Small sparks of energy danced from one finger to the next even as he looked up. “Lass, ah, lass. Ye have come to kill me, haven’t ye? I deserve that after what I said to ye.” His eyes were red-rimmed; the color had drained from his face except in red blotches. Had he been crying? “No, I’m not here to kill you, though I would have every right to.” How far could she take the magic without being shown how to use it fully? Listen to her instincts, her gut, hadn’t Blue told her that more than once now? All right, that’s what she needed to do, then. Marion closed her eyes for a count of five, channeling the power she could feel rippling through her being until she half lifted from the ground. So she didn’t have the wings of a fae, or rather the wings she had seen in the pictures, as Blue hadn’t shown any sign of such things, but she could still float towards him. “Then what, to torment me, punish me? I deserve it, and there’s nae mistake of that.” Callum pushed to his feet, shaking more than she had ever expected to see. For the first time, she saw him clearly. With the confidence and arrogance stripped away, he looked 297

Deed Wife barely more than a year or two her senior. Strange, until now she’d assumed he was about ten years older than her. Yet here he looked so young, almost helpless. “No, not that. I need to know the truth from you and be warned, I will know if you lie.” She didn’t know if she could perform a truth spell, but with a small push against the energy, she was able to bathe him in a soft yellow light. “If you lie to me, the color will change and I will know.” Would it change? She doubted it, but if he believed it would, then that was all that mattered. “I understand.” He lifted his head, meeting her gaze. His left hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his chin rose and a hint of the pride she had seen before returned. “I’ll nae lie to ye, lass.” “Do you love me?” “Aye.” “And are you sorry for what you said to me, truly sorry?” “More than I have the words to express, lass. ‘Tis nae excuse, but I was—I was afraid. Ye kind have a power ye have shared with mine, and to know the lass I bedded, spanked, punished has the ability to wipe me from the face of existence shook me to the core.” Callum spoke calmly, though she could see a slight shaking in his hand, his knuckles turning white, the grip on the hilt used to hide some of the fear. “And what promise do I have that you won’t strike out at me again? The next time that you’re faced with a show of power, or you realize that I’m not quite human?” 298

Terri Pray “I cannae make ye such a promise, lass.” “And why is that?” She tensed, her gaze locked on his. “Because I know my weakness. Maybe nae as fully as I would like, or I would have been able to prevent the hurtful words I threw at ye earlier. But I know that I will nae always be able to stop myself. I’ll try though, ‘tis all I can promise. That I will try.” That is all she needed to know. Marion pulled in the magic, easing her body back down to the ground, though in truth she had barely been more than a few inches from it at most. As her feet touched the moss and leaf covered ground, she pulled in the last of the magic until the light faded from existence. I don’t know if I can go through with this. She had to, though. If she ever wanted to be true to herself, she had to go through with this. Slowly she moved to down to her hands and knees, lowering her head. Her fingers curled against the damp ground, the dirt and moss dug beneath her nails, the rich scent of the loam filling her senses. Fear tugged at her heart, screaming at her that she was foolish, that she should not do this, that she pull back, do something other than approach him. She had the power to kill him, turn him into what she wanted if only… If only she had the courage to accept that the man that had spanked her in the cottage and had introduced her to the first stages of strength, pain and pleasure in his castle was the man she wanted him to be. “What are ye doing, lass?” He took a step back. “Ye 299

Deed Wife are fae. Ye didnae have to crawl to me, or kneel. Ye are above me now. Nae my property.” She didn’t dare speak, not yet, not as she crawled to his feet. Her hair fell loose about her face, brushing against her cheeks, caressing her ears, teasing at her lips. This was where she belonged, at least in their private times together. She needed this, to know she could lean on him, to be his possession in the bedchamber, if nowhere else. “Please,” she whispered, pressing her lips against his mud-covered boots. Did she even have the words to explain to him what she needed to do? Who she needed to be with him? She thought back over their times together. The strength of his touch, the way he made her feel when he commanded her body. She could never look on him as an equal in the matters of love and passion, never command him the way he controlled her there. Nor could she destroy the desires he had introduced her to. “Let me be this way with you, my Master.” Her throat threatened to close over, even as her inner walls clenched with a heated need that her admission sparked into life. “I am yours, if you will have me. I am yours as your slave, if only in private. I know—I understand that once they find out about my bloodline that I cannot be such with you in public, but if you will still have me like this, in private, in the chamber, in the forest and the cottage, where no others can see. If you will accept the need in me as I have come to accept it then I beg you, Master, keep me thus so I can be myself.” He blinked, silently staring down at her. Didn’t he 300

Terri Pray want her any more, in this manner at least? She knew he wanted her with him, but did he now not feel comfortable being able to command her, to bend her to his will in the bed chamber? She tried not to let her fears get the better of her, struggling to keep herself calm and focused, or at least hold on to a measure of her emotions. What did he expect her to do, shut off from the delights he had introduced her to? “Are ye sure about this, lass? Ye know what will happen when they realize ye are part fae?” “Yes, Master. I think so.” She had a fair idea that her life would be turned upside down. “They will fear me.” “More than that, they will all but want to worship ye. Yet there ye are, ye head to my boots like a proper submissive Deed Wife. Ye have nae idea what I want to do to ye now, though we have nae the time or energy to spare for such wonders between us.” He leaned down, taking hold of her hands before he pulled her up onto her feet. “And if I choose to be submissive to you when the doors are closed, who would know?” She tried to stop the trembling that now worked its way through her body. Marion felt the color drain from her face, a terrible thought clouding her mind. “I need this with you, unless you don’t want me in that way any more.” What would she do if he didn’t want to command her body any more? Would she be able to push back the desires he had introduced her to? If she had to, then that is what she would do, as 301

Deed Wife long as he still loved her. Lord, please let him still love me fully, and want me in his arms. “Is that what you think? That I don’t want to have you kneeling at my feet?” He pulled her close, wrapping his arms about her body. He smelt so good, sweat, leather and lust all rolled into one. “Ah, lass, ye could nae be more wrong. I want ye at my feet, in my arms, in my bed. I need ye so very much, my lass. I’ve learned that if nothing else over these past few days.” “Then you won’t send me away?” “Nae, lass, never again on that, ye do have my word.” The weight lifted from across her shoulders and around her heart in the same moment. “Thank you, Master.” “For what, for seeing sense and realizing what a fool I had been?” He chuckled, running his fingers through her hair. “And this isn’t the first mistake I’ve made with a woman. Seems half my problems in life have come from nae realizing just what I was doing to those around me. I need ye help, my lass, with Brianna. I know I didnae have the right to ask for ye aid, but I’m still asking it from ye.” She didn’t move away from the circle of his arms, relaxing against his chest. Brianna, the woman that had separated them in the first place, the one that would take him, use him and then kill him out of sheer spite. “Will ye help me, lass?” he murmured into her hair. 302

Terri Pray “Yes, I will.” If for no other reason than to see Brianna dealt with. “But I don’t know if I can handle the pain from the magic, not at the level you were using before.” “Aye, my lass, didnae worry, we’ll figure something out.” He made no move to release her from his arms. “Well now, ‘tis good to see that ye two have figured things out between ye. I was beginning to worry about that.” Conner smiled, walking around one large tree before he stepped into the clearing. “As for the rest, it can wait until after a good night’s sleep. I didnae see a point in pushing on tonight. Ye two are beaten, emotionally and physically. Arriving at the castle in this state would only leave ye open to be attacked by Brianna and her brother.” No matter what they decided to do, Marion knew she could not let Brianna or Robert get away with the betrayal they had both been a party to. “Sleep, some food, then we return tomorrow. By then we will be ready to face them again.” Callum spoke quietly, his tone laced with ice. “And face them we will.” Of that she had no doubt.

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Chapter TwentyThree he last leg of the trip had been bearable, with magic used sparingly to urge the horses on. The tingle was little more than the background annoyance Marion had become used to over the years. The constant doubling of the spell had been the problem the previous day, as the three had quickly been able to figure out. “There’s nae point hiding ye entrance into the castle, but the surprise would have been a good one to use if it were possible. But without letting others in on what is going on, I cannae have ye snuck in to meet up with me later.” Callum frowned as he spoke. They had stopped only a mile away from the castle in order to rest and put the final touches onto their plan. Low clouds rolled in over the sky, carrying with them the hint of a storm to come. All the beauty she had seen in the lane on the final part of the walk to the cottage existed here. The colors, the smell of the flowers, the soft lights of the sprites dancing through the bushes, a gentle reminder of the love she had found here. “Who says we can’t be hidden?” Marion frowned. “It would be the easiest way of keeping out of trouble until it’s too late for them do anything about it.”

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Terri Pray “Aye, it would be the best, but how do ye hide someone who is in plain sight? ‘Tis nae easily done, lass.” Conner turned to look at her. “Ye man is right about this. We can’t just walk in, and there’s nae real way of hiding thee and me from sight.” “No, he’s not.” She looked from one man to the other. She had the power to do this, she knew that; convincing them would be the hard part. Strange, they knew now what she was, she knew, but the obvious answer floated right past them without so much as a whimper of a suggestion whispered in their ears. Men, they could be so blind at times. “If I can do this right, I can make Conner and I look like someone else. Riders, men of the castle, a maidservant, in my case. I can recall what some of them look like and at least remember what they wore.” “Lass, how can ye know such things, who has been teaching ye?” Callum’s gaze narrowed. “Ye only found out what ye were a handful of days ago, less from what ye told us, so how have ye learned to use the magic so well in such a short time?” How indeed? How could she explain to him that how his people used magic was the clumsy way? Taking long, complicated steps to do something that was in truth very simple to do? Once she had accepted that the magic was a part of her, that it answered to the images created in her mind, it had become almost too easy to use. And therein lies the trick, to recall when you can use it and when not to do so. It can be addictive, Marion. Very 305

Deed Wife addictive to one with human blood in their veins. Let your fae side dictate when and where to use such a power. Listen to it, and listen well. “So, do we get an explanation?” “Fae magic works differently. Once Blue, the fae who was helping me, explained how it worked, the rest slowly fell into place. I’m not perfect at it, and I’m sure a full fae would be able to do far more than I can, but I know enough to get us in through the castle gates, if you’ll trust me enough to do that.” She looked at one man, then the other. “You’ll need to hold your normal form, Sir, but Conner and I can be other people. Servants or guards, anything that will get us through the gate.” Neither man spoke. All right, so that wasn’t going to work. Marion painted a calm smile into place, hiding the tremble that threatened to take over her body as she said, “Or we can just sit out here and wait for you to be captured and turned into stud use by Brianna.” “Ye go almost too far, lass.” “Oh, well you didn’t seem to impressed by my idea. So I assumed you wanted to become her plaything.” Gods, what was she doing? He would have every right to whip her senseless for saying such a thing to him. “As far as I see it, we have two choices. One you walk in on your own, the second is you let me work that spell and you have two friends at your side. Which might just be enough to get you to a safer point within your home. None of us know just who in there is now working for Brianna or Robert, so if you want to walk in there on your own, 306

Terri Pray so be it. I can’t stop you.” “Now if ye think my people will have turned their backs on me…” “A few might, if only one or two have and they are the ones waiting with Brianna for you, then you’re out of luck.” Conner spoke calmly. “I didnae say the lass is completely right, but she does have a small point here. Now the lass doesnae know exactly how ye people work, but she has seen two ye trusted turn against ye. And been on the receiving end of their actions.” Callum’s jaw tightened, his shoulders bunching. A momentary anger, until he let out a long, slow breath and forced himself back into focus. “Aye, well, maybe that’s true enough. Marion, lass, are ye sure ye can do this? Make ye and Conner look like other people?” She nodded slightly. “It will take me a little while, but yes, I think I can. It’s the same as creating the image that I…that I made to seduce Conner with.” Heat claimed her cheeks in a blush that crept beneath her dress. “Pardon?” Conner shot a confused look her way. “It wasn’t me you made love to.” Marion shifted a little on the back of the horse. How would he react to the news? She couldn’t keep it from him any longer, though. Not if she wanted them to believe the power she had at her fingertips now. The way she was able to use the magic. “It was a creation, an image. It felt real, it was real to you, but it was a piece of magic. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to deceive you, Conner. I just couldn’t betray Callum that way.” Conner swung down from the back of his horse, 307

Deed Wife his gaze dark, lips pressed tight. No, not another fight. She didn’t need another fight, not after what she had already been through. Laughter rang out, dancing about the trees, spilling forth from his lips as she shook his head, slapping down on his thighs. “I should have realized it. Ah, lass, ye are a good one. And if ye were a bad one, ye would have killed me. I know that, I should be thankful that ye gave me the image and the lass in my arms overnight instead. ‘Tis a kind thing ye did in ye own way, Marion. Though I am disappointed that it wasn’t truly you.” Tension eased from her shoulders instantly. “I thought you would be angry with me when you found out. I didn’t want to hurt you, please, you have to believe that.” “Oh, I do lass. I do. I’m nae angry with ye. Hells, as I said, ye could have killed me any time. If I had any doubt that helping ye and ye Laird was the best choice, then they would have died today. Ye are a good one, lass. And ye man, well he’s a true Highlander, which means he needs a good smack to the back of the head from time to time, but he keeps to his word and is willing to give a rogue like me another chance, even if I didnae deserve it.” Conner smiled, and offered her a hand down from the back of Callum’s horse. “Well, my lass, my bonnie fae lassie, ‘tis time we let ye weave ye magic if we are going to do this.” Callum’s expression had become unreadable, his voice low and calm. “Are ye saying that instead of putting yourself in his arms, that ye kept yourself for 308

Terri Pray me alone?” “Aye, Callum, I do believe that’s what the lass is saying.” Marion bit into her bottom lip, trying to find the right words. “I need to hear this from her.” Conner nodded and fell silent as the Laird kept his gaze fixed on the now trembling young woman. “Is it that hard to admit to after everything else that has happened?” Callum closed the gap between them, brushing his fingers over her face. “Ye are worried that I will be angry with ye because ye disobeyed my orders?” “Yes, Sir. No. I don’t know. It’s more than that. You told me to seduce or kill him, do something that would keep us at the camp.” She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. Despite the fact that the world had changed around her and she was no longer just a piece of property gifted to him as part of an insane treaty, she still feared his reaction. It hadn’t taken long for that need to please him, to obey him to become an almost overriding driving force in her life. “I love you. I was willing to do anything to stay with you, anything except the two options you gave me. Conner had been good to me, but even though I am your property, I couldn’t seduce him. Not with words or my body, Sir. I know, I knew even then, I belonged to you and no other.” Callum cupped her face with both hands, pulling her close. “Ah, my sweet lassie. Never has a woman given me such a gift of her heart in such an unselfish manner. How could I be angry at the way you feel 309

Deed Wife towards me and the lengths you were willing to go to in order to keep yourself only for me? Aye, ye disobeyed my order, but the reasons behind it are ones I understand.” He leaned close, whispering against her ear, speaking so low that only she would hear. “But as you have also submitted to me, given yourself to me as my property, this is a matter we will have to attend to once the time is right. You did disobey me, and there will be punishment for that. I would be a poor Master to ye if I let this matter slip.” Her breath caught in the back of her throat, fear and joy mingling in equal amounts. He loved her enough to stay true to the bonds of being her Master, despite the power she had at her beck and call. “Now, ‘tis time ye weaved this magic of yours, I’m thinking. For there are matters that needs must be attended to before the day grows much older. I have a couple of traitors that have a much-needed lesson coming their way.” Callum moved back from her, his eyes dark, gaze narrowed on the young woman. “Let us get this done and put an end to the matter once and for all.” ****** No matter how hard she stared at the man she knew to be Conner, Marion couldn’t see the brash Highlander’s true features beneath the magic-woven disguise she had settled in place. Good, if she couldn’t see through the spell, then no one else in the castle should be able to either. That, at least, eased some of her concerns as they rode towards the gates. 310

Terri Pray She’d had to change horses for the last part of the trip and had settled behind Conner instead of Callum. With the disguise in place, they were able to pass for a guard and his lass. Better yet, they were able to ride in slightly ahead of Callum, though Marion was left trying to hide her trembling as they passed through the open gates and into the courtyard. The first time she had arrived at the castle it had been dark, and she had been barely able to make out anything beyond the light that had welcomed them when the main doors had opened. Yet now, with the sun riding high in the sky, she was able to look around the courtyard. Guards had been posted in plain view all around the outer wall. Five manned the main gate. Archers had been set in place in the stubby towers at the corners of the perimeter wall. “It looks like the place has been readied for invasion,” she murmured to Conner, leaning into his hands as he helped her down from the back of the horse. “Or they are preparing to keep someone in when he arrives. Nae sure what the Laird thinks he will be facing, but I’m thinking that it’s going to be a lot more trouble than he ever imagined.” Marion nodded, wrapping the false image of the cloak about her shoulders. “We should move inside. We’ll be expected…” She looked up, catching sight of one of the guards moving towards them. “In the kitchens, my love.” It was a struggle to try and copy the accent she heard all around her, but she tried 311

Deed Wife nevertheless. “Ye two, what are ye doing lollygagging around here. There’s work to be done. Get that horse back to the stables, lad.” Conner smiled and bobbed his head. “Aye, will do. Sorry, was just seeing my lass off here.” He swatted Marion’s ass sharply, urging her towards the stable entrance. “Will be right with ye.” “See that ye are.” The other man’s gaze narrowed on Marion for a moment, a slight frown marking a path across his brow. “New face, pity she’s claimed already, ‘tis a pretty lass ye have there. Mind you remember me, girl, when you’re tired of this one lifting ye skirts.” Marion smiled, lowering her gaze as a blush rushed across her cheeks. “I’ll try and remember that, thank ye.” The guard nodded and waved her off towards the rear entrance at the sight of the Laird riding up to the front gate. “Greetings, my Laird. We were wondering when ye would return. Any sign of the runaway?” Callum swung down from the back of his horse with a practiced ease. “Nae, a wild goose chase. I’ll find her in time, though. I’ll nae permit a mere piece of property to run away from me like that.” “Ah, well, we would nae expect any less of ye.” “Have Brianna and Robert attend me in the great hall before the hour is out. I have plans I must speak to them about. The girl running away has given me food for thought. ‘Tis time I took a bride.” If there was more exchanged between Callum and the guard she didn’t hear it, as Conner hurried her 312

Terri Pray out of hearing range. “Good, ye didnae take offense at what either Callum or the guard said. Nae easy, I know, lass, but ye did well enough there.” Conner spoke softly as he followed her towards the cobbled yard between the stable and the servant’s entrance. “Ah, ye should remember some of this way in, ‘tis the door Brianna led ye out from, lass.” A cold hand wrapped about her heart at the sight of the door. What if her trust in Conner was misplaced, and he was still loyal to Brianna? Had he only spoken out to prevent Callum from beating him further? It had started that way, she understood that much but somehow things had changed. He trusts you both, more so you than your man, but with good reason. You could have killed him, slipped off in the night and left his blood soaking into the earth, but you gave him a night of pleasure instead. Sex and mercy hand in hand, you did the right thing there.” Blue’s voice warmed the back of her mind. “Just remember the magic you carry in your soul is only one part of the power you can use to control men and women alike. I’m not sure I want to control anyone. You will, though, when you have to. “Keep going, lass.” Conner closed the door behind them, shutting out the daylight. Candles, or small stubs of them, offered limited pools of light along the stone-clad corridor. “Ye know the way I am thinking.” Marion nodded. The route through the castle down from Callum’s bedchamber had been engraved into 313

Deed Wife her mind, along with the terrifying memory of the sack being forced over her head. Black terror threatened to close fully on her heart; cold sweat coated her flesh, yet she still managed to force herself back through the corridor. The knowledge that she wasn’t walking into a trap served to keep her legs moving, taking one step and then another until the shivers eased and her mind cleared. How many men and women in the castle had been turned against their rightful lord? Not all of them, she was sure of that. The short time she had spent in the castle had allowed her to see just how many of those within its walls loved their Laird. He was young, but cared for those around him. She had listened in on the conversations of one or two of the serving maids. To say that they loved him might have been something of an understatement. In the eyes of some of the maids, he had achieved near deity status. He was a good man, even if she had been treated as an outsider by the others in his home. It had hurt at the time, but she had come to terms with it very quickly. What other choice had there been? “The main hall?” “Left.” She nodded towards the distant large door. “We wait, then?” “Yes, until we see Brianna and Robert enter,” she replied quietly, stepping back into the shadows of the hallway, almost pulling the darkness around them both. It wouldn’t prevent someone from seeing them if they looked directly at them, but it would be enough to hide them from a casual glance. Or so she hoped. 314

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Chapter Twenty-Four ow long had they been waiting for Brianna and Robert to arrive? Long enough that she had grown tired of holding the magic in place. Still she kept the shadows in place, hiding them from the few that walked past them. Had they defied Callum fully? No, they wouldn’t go that far, not yet at least. They had to show up, as the summons to attend the Laird would be public knowledge by now. Marion glanced over at the silent Conner. The tension had built across his shoulders, his lips pressed into a tight, thin line, but he hadn’t spoken the entire time they had remained hidden by her magic. Footsteps. She tensed, peering down towards the source of the noise. A dozen and more men and women had entered the hall already. Each new set of steps had only set her nerves further on edge. How much longer she could take the wait Marion couldn’t be sure; she just knew that her nerves were raw and her stomach threatened to revolt. A low growl threatened to form at the back of her throat—she’d know that face anywhere. The anger rose within her soul instantly at the sight of the proud Brianna walking towards the hall with Robert following closely behind. Each step the woman took

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Deed Wife spoke of the power she believed she still laid claim to within the castle. The look in Brianna’s eyes said it all. Pride. Unrelenting pride. She thinks she has won, that she can control Callum now. Gods, Callum, are we doing the right thing here? Can we pull this off? Marion held her breath, her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as she watched the siblings enter the hall. Only in that moment did she dare to release her hold on the shadows at last. There were enough people inside the hall itself to be able to bear witness if he was able to push the siblings into saying or doing the wrong thing. But if not, then it would all be for nothing. “Shall we?” Conner murmured, a slight nod towards the door confirming what he was suggesting. “Ye man will be waiting for us.” “Yes.” He moved ahead of her, one hand on his sword as she followed him towards the hall. The back of her neck prickled, her throat dried out. As much as this needed to be done, she wasn’t looking forward to the confrontation that would follow. They had to open the door and slip inside without Brianna realizing, but after some of the magic she had used that part was simple enough. Without a sound, they slipped inside and kept at the back of the hall. “Ye have called us here, Callum. Is there something ye wish to discuss with us?” Robert inquired, glancing back towards the door. Despite the lack of sound he had known someone else had 316

Terri Pray entered, but fortunately the spell held in place, keeping their disguises steady. “The lass has nae been found.” Callum had settled into a large chair by the side of the fireplace. “Ah, and will ye be looking for her again?” Brianna pressed the matter. “Aye, I will indeed. But nae yet. There are matters I need to attend to here, such as naming my bride. Ye were right, lass, I need to take a wife and get a child upon her. The line must continue.” Brianna’s smile near lit up the room. “And do ye have a lass in mind for this, my Laird?” Robert shot his sister a look, silencing her for now at least. The older man looked around the hall, taking in the others that had been summoned into the Laird’s presence. “Or will ye start looking for one from the local families? Is that why ye have called us all to ye?” “I had nae thought it through fully yet.” Callum shrugged. “Though the idea has some merit. ‘Tis best I look locally. I made the mistake of looking beyond the Clan structure once already.” “Ah, enough of this, Callum,” Brianna said. “We all know who it is ye will pick. Ye need someone who knows ye home, how the people here work, so ye will declare us courting and set the date.” “I was thinking of looking around before making an announcement. What makes ye think I would pick ye?” “My Laird, half the castle has been waiting for ye to make it known that ye would form a bond with my sister. Now they will expect it even more.” Robert 317

Deed Wife stepped in front of Brianna, trying to silence her. “She knows how to run the castle in ye absence, and ye are one for traveling. The staff here know and respect her, despite her temper and willful ways. She has never done ye wrong. I am sure once ye have sorted out ye slight differences it will be a comfortable, even pleasurable match between the both of ye.” Marion winced. Never done Callum wrong, of course not, unless you counted trying to force him into a marriage and stealing a piece of his property. “Ah, I see. Ye have this all thought through, do ye?” “Well, look at it this way, what other choice do ye have unless ye want to spend a long time looking for another lass that might run from ye, like the Deed Wife did.” Brianna frowned at her brother and moved to his left so she could speak directly to Callum once more. “Ah, the girl, I have been wondering what made the lass run.” Callum pushed up from his chair, walking slowly over to the proud young woman. Did no one else wonder why he still wore his sword and his dirk? Marion took a long slow look at those Callum had summoned into the room. An odd mix of expressions greeted her wandering gaze. Fear, curiosity, confusion and there, in one or two of the older witnesses, that glimpse of anger that flashed through narrowed eyes. “She had settled into her home, she had willingly given herself to me, and then suddenly she runs. Not only that, but is able to find her way past my guards, past men and women who would 318

Terri Pray have stopped her. Then to top it all, she finds a way to steal a mount, according to the tracks I followed.” “A resourceful wench,” Robert suggested. “Or perhaps she managed to persuade a guard with her body? Women of her kind will do whatever it takes to escape a man of the Clans. She was afraid of ye, Callum, hated ye, if the truth be known. Of course she ran at the first chance she saw.” “Nae, the lass is nae the type who could do such a thing. Shy, nae that would be the wrong word. Loyal perhaps would fit her better. I saw the look on her face when I even so much as teased her with the idea of service to another.” The Laird moved slowly towards Brianna, a smile playing over his full lips. Marion watched closely, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as Callum brushed the back of his fingers over Brianna’s cheek. “She lost all the color from her face and looked as though she wished the ground would open up beneath her.” “She was the sort of lass that would never have learned her place in this castle, Callum.” The Clanswoman smiled and turned her head, pressing a light kiss to the back of his hand. “Ye need one ye can trust to get the work done, my bonnie laddie. Someone who understands how the Clans work, what needs to be taken care of in ye home. Only a woman born to the Highlands will suit ye as a wife and help mate.” “Whereas a woman like ye knows just what I need, even if I am nae so sure?” He slid his hand across Brianna’s cheek even as Marion felt her heart pound against her rib cage. 319

Deed Wife Though Brianna leaned into the touch, a soft purr of delight falling from her lips, Robert’s gaze had narrowed on his Laird. One hand drifted to rest on the hilt of his sword as Robert shifted his weight, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Why is he waiting? Gods, can’t he see how on edge Robert is? Please, lord, let him be watching what Robert is doing. I don’t want to lose him again. Not after everything we have been through. “Aye, my Callum. I’ve always known what ye have needed. When ye brought the lass in, I saw the danger of having her around. The way ye softened for her, instead of keeping her under a tight control at all times. If she had stayed, she would have seen ye ruined.” “Whereas ye just wish to see me,” he grasped Brianna by the hair, forcing her head back. “Dead.” “Callum!” Brianna screamed and tired to struggle free of the cruel grip that now held her tight. “What do ye think ye are doing?” “Taking control back of my home and my life.” Marion darted forward before the woman could utter another word, casting aside the spells that had been wrapped about both herself and Conner. Her gaze fixed on Robert and the hand that now gasped the hilt of the man’s sword. “Let go of my sister, Callum.” Robert growled. “Didnae seek to be giving me orders. Ye have already caused enough problems.” Callum turned, forcing Brianna to move with him. “Marion was nae missing, she had nae run away. Ye had sold her. Paid for another to take her from my home. A problem that 320

Terri Pray has now been rectified.” He nodded towards Marion, turning the attention of the siblings and those other members of the local families onto the young woman and the man in a guard’s uniform that followed closely on her heels. “Ye fool, she was nae meant to be your companion. At most that lass should have been a momentary warm body in ye bed, but ye had to push further.” Brianna all but screamed at him, still wriggling in an attempt to break free of the hold Callum retained on her hair. “We all know ye need to wed a woman of the blood, one with the magic of the Clans in her soul. Nae take to ye bed a woman born south of the border who would nae ever be able to bear ye true born children.” “My sister speaks true.” Robert turned away from Callum, his sword still confined within its sheath. “This man who would lead an old and respected family has turned his back on our ways time and again. He would not take a Clanswoman as his wife, or the mother of his children, instead he wishes to spend his seed into the body of a woman who is little more than a slave.” “Is this true?” One of the men who had entered the hall prior to Marion took a step forward. “Would ye father children then expected to lead ye family on a mere Deed Wife?” “Nae, Bruce. I would have kept the lass as my companion and found another way to continue my line. But things have changed. She is nae just a Deed Wife, the lass has fae blood in her lines. The blessed magic burns in her blood.” Callum shook Brianna 321

Deed Wife hard and fast by the hair. “This woman and her brother would have seen me dead within a few months of the birth of a child, and in doing so broken faith with every belief, every shred of honor my family holds to.” “Liar. Nae child has been born of fae and mortal in living memory.” Robert took a step closer to his Laird. “Another fabrication so ye may keep an unclean woman at ye side.” Marion’s jaw clenched. Unclean. A slave. She had reached the point where she would take no more from them. “He lies, does he, then how do you explain this?” Marion spread out her fingers, raising one hand and reaching out towards the chair Callum had been sat on only a short while before. With little more than a whisper, she set the magical lights dancing in sparks of blue, red and gold along her arm. A small trick, one taught to children, but no mere Deed Wife would have ever been able to replicate that spell. It wasn’t enough. Even without turning to see the faces of the witnesses she knew that it wasn’t enough to convince them all. So be it. She could do more. The type of magic that humans, true blood humans could not do, at least not without using a form of spell casting. Except she had no idea how the others in the room would react to a mortal using the magic of the fae, if they reacted the same way Callum had… No, that wouldn’t happen. “You still don’t believe me?” She kept her voice soft, low, lowering her gaze. A gentle smile touched her lips as she shook her hair forward over her 322

Terri Pray shoulders. “I can understand that. You believe that another is making it look as though I am using the magic, perhaps Callum himself. So I will just have to try and find a way to convince you.” “Why should we? Ye seem to need a hired sword to back ye up.” Robert nodded towards the shadow behind her. “Conner is not a hired sword. Not this time.” Marion didn’t even blink. Her instincts screamed that she needed to beg for mercy, or throw herself out of the way. That this wasn’t her fight. Women like her needed to keep back when there were problems between Clansmen, but her love for Callum refused to let her back down. No matter what the cost. “Ah, but ye still seem to need him at ye back, girl. The man does have a point. If of the fae blood ye truly be, then why would ye need the protection of a sword when the magic answers ye beck and call.” An older man, the same one that had spoken earlier, took a step towards her. “Show us he is telling the truth and nae seeking to take a woman born to the English as a wife. Show us that he is…” “That he is blind and believes hatred and mistreatment should be continued from one generation to the next?” The words slipped from her lips before she had the chance to control herself. “Is that what the proud and noble men of the Clans believe should be done? A generation and more sentenced to slavery because of the sins of the past?” “Lass.” Callum’s soft voice carried across the hall. “Be careful, ye are still new come to this.” “Am I? I was born into this, my Laird. I’ve seen 323

Deed Wife men and women abused by those who have power. Women torn from their families to be sent to the arms of other men, forced into the beds of men they would not have chosen to be with. Goods taken, taxes raised to feed those in another country. What is so different to the way your own people were treated by mine?” “’Tis revenge, lass, payment for the sins of the past,” the grey haired man began to explain. “Aren’t you the bold, brave and honorable Clansmen?” “Are you questioning that, girl?” A new voice, a man only a few years older than Callum, moved into her line of sight. With blazing red hair and deep green eyes, he towered above her. “Aye, that I am.” She half slipped into the softer version of the brogue of the Clans for a moment. “You’re taking women from their families, some scream, sob and are beaten before they submit to the ones they are handed off to. Taken away from the chance to form an honorable marriage. How can that be right? Why would a Highlander ever need to force a woman? Are ye so desperate for women that ye need to steal us away? So weak that ye can only enjoy a woman who has no choice but to obey you for fear of death? How does that fit into the bold, brazen ways of the Clans? The pride and honor of your people? How does it make you any better than the very men you overthrew?” Anger fueled her words, and reason forced those same words into a flurry of harsh accusations. “How dare ye,” Robert snarled. “See what this woman would have brought into our lines, our ways. 324

Terri Pray She mocks who we are. What we are. It’s wrong, it cannae be allowed, it…” The lights grew a hundred fold along her fingers, colors slipped through her hair, casting a hundred shades around the hall. With a loud crack, the lights at the end of her fingers turned into flames that crackled about her fingernails. More than one man or woman in the room let loose protection spells of their own, creating soft, shimmering forms of pale yellow light about their bodies. Enough to turn aside a simple spell attack, but nothing more than that. Didn’t they know who and what she was? Or did they simply refuse to accept the evidence of their own eyes? Foolish, stupid prideful people. She would have to show them fully what she could do, even if that meant killing one of them. Power roared through her veins, and even with the pain that now tingled over her flesh, she didn’t lose control of the flames. If she had to unleash the fire on every single man and woman within the room, then so be it. They had forced the issue. Marion growled, looking around the room, forcing the flames to dance from one hand to the other as the others in the room hurried back from her. They were afraid of her—truly afraid of her. She had a power they could only dream of, they wanted it, craved it, but they would never have the same level of power that a fae blood woman would be able to use. Good, so they should be, after what they had caused others to go through. “Marion, didnae be doing this. They believe ye 325

Deed Wife now.” Callum finally released his grip on Brianna and ignored the flames, taking a step closer to her. “Didnae turn into the sort of woman ye would hate to be. Ye are a better woman than this, a better human being.” What am I doing? She sucked in her bottom lip between her teeth; the flames eased down, fading a little more with each passing moment. “I won’t let them separate us.” “That’s not going to happen.” “How can you be so sure, look at them. They don’t even understand why what they are doing is wrong? How they have become the very men they overthrew.” Marion leaned against him, trembling as she felt his arms wrap about her. “I don’t want to live this way, to know that so many are forced from their homes. Not all will be as lucky as I am. Most will hate the man they end up belonging to. They’ll be marked as beasts, lesser women because of it. Targets for the true wives. You know how it works, my Laird, my love. You’ve seen it yourself. I’m sure about that.” He smelt of leather, sweat and love. His hair tickled the side of her face. His arms remained tight about her body. She knew this man, loved him, her body reacted to him with a passion that she almost wanted to deny, yet knew she never could. “Ye will be with me for as long as ye wish to be, my lass. Ye will be mine for the rest of ye life if that is what ye want,” he whispered against her ear. “Callum!” Conner’s cry split the air. Brianna moved across the hall, drawing the dirk from her waistband, her dark eyes narrowed on the 326

Terri Pray spot between Conner’s shoulder blades. Everything slowed down. Marion screamed. Conner tried to get between them, only to be tackled to the floor by Robert. Pain lanced through her body. Magic infused the dirk Brianna held, a double folded strike that threatened to disable Marion before she even had the chance to do something. She didn’t have the time to wonder how the other woman had been able to activate such a powerful spell. Nor did she care where Brianna had learned the spell. All that mattered was stopping the strike from landing between Callum’s shoulder blades. Marion pushed free of Callum’s hold, turning them around as she did so, placing herself between the blade in Brianna’s hand and Callum’s body. Every ounce of focus she now had Marion formed into a wall of living energy between herself and the blade. A shield she then wrapped fully about her body, keeping Callum from stepping into the fray. “Marion!” Callum’s dark eyes grew to the size of small plates. “Hold still,” she hissed, keeping the wall in place. Marion shuddered as the blade hit the shield, pain burning a terrible path through her body. What had the spell been designed to do? “Ye think ye fae magic is going to stop me, bitch?” Marion clenched her teeth, trying to hold the shield in place. “I’ve paid for this magic, this spell. They promised 327

Deed Wife me it would work even against their own kind,” Brianna gloated. “Won’t let you hurt him.” “I was counting on that.” The hateful woman grasped the hilt of the dirk in both hands, putting the full weight of her body behind the thrust. “’Tis nae him I want, it’s ye.” Gods, no! Marion tried to move away, to sidestep, but the shield had been locked in place by the dirk that now partially pierced the magical creation. Sweat formed across her brow, salt touched her lips, her body trembling with the effort it took to hold the shield in place. Don’t let her win, Blue’s voice whispered at the back of her mind. She’s just a mortal, a hate-filled mortal who wants your man. She will kill you and take him, perhaps even manage to force the council here, the witnesses, to back her decision. I can’t move. Yes, you can. Just let me help. I’m not going to let her gain a reputation for killing our kind. The trouble that will cause is beyond anything I am willing to see happen in my lifetime. What do I need to do? Focus on the blade, nothing but the tip of the dirk. Push it out. She’s got every ounce of her energy, her spell, on the dirk. She thinks you’re going to spread your focus through the shield as a whole. That’s how she appears to have more power than you. She doesn’t. Hers is focused into a small area, yours is spread out. Marion nodded, tasting the mix of sweat and fear 328

Terri Pray on her own lips. “When you’re dead, I’ll dance on your bleeding and rotting corpse, then teach others how to take the power from the fae. We won’t be confined by their rules from then on. We’ll have the ability to be fully in control.” Brianna’s dark eyes blazed. Her lips parted, a flush across her cheek, spit flecked her full, red lips. Energy crackled through her hair, down into the woman’s body. “You’re insane!” Callum’s voice broke through Marion’s concentration, though not enough to prevent her from slowly pulling in the shield, an inch at a time. “Don’t ye know that the fae will never permit this? They’ll close down all the magic if they believe we will turn against them. What ye are thinking of doing is wrong, it is betraying the very bonds we share with the fae.” “Bonds that permitted this half-breed bitch to enter ye life,” Brianna spat. “Ones that we have nae right to speak against.” “Says who? ‘Tis our life, our world, our hearts. Why should they be allowed to step into our lives like that?” Steel clashed against steel. Raised voices. A cry of pain. Conner. Gods, Conner. Don’t turn, don’t look. You can’t afford to be distracted. Marion tried to shut out their voices and focused on the shield. Her limbs shook, the pain she had fought to ignore from the magic that coated the blade only increased the more she focused on the shield. 329

Deed Wife This had to work, whatever this was. Blue had only told her the first step, not what would happen next. Because it’s better if you focus on one step at a time, instead of what might follow, so keep your mind on the task. Almost there. Marion shuddered, the shield rippled each time she compacted it. “What’s happening? The dirk, it’s stuck.” Brianna tried to pull the dirk free from the folded shield. The color drained from the woman’s face, her gaze focusing on Marion. “What have ye done? Didnae lie to me, bitch. I know this is your doing.” Marion didn’t flinch away from the woman’s gaze. “You started this, Brianna. I’m just finishing it once and for all.” Nice, now when we have the time to engage in the throwing of glib comments, then I’ll let you know. Until then, focus on the bloody job. How much longer? The shield now covered the size of a farthing and held the tip of the dirk well and truly in place. Her sight faded into balloons of red light that hovered in front of her vision. Dark spots flashed against the red, her skin burned, even the small hairs on the back of her hands ached, something she had never thought possible until that moment. I don’t know how longer I can do this. Hurts. Gods, it hurts. Just a moment or two, nothing more. You can do it for that long. Will try. “I’m nae going to let ye keep him.” “And what are you going to do? Force me to marry you? Have me chained to your bed, Brianna?” 330

Terri Pray Callum’s all too calm reply almost caught Marion offguard. “Or did you think I would go willingly to your arms if you killed my lass?” Now push back down the blade. How? What? “No, but you’d see the sense of it in time.” Brianna’s cool smile did nothing to mask the insanity in her eyes. All that power you’ve put into the shield, don’t pull it back into your body, force it down the blade instead, and into her body. She has nothing in place to defend herself. Pour everything you have against her and don’t stop. No matter what happens, don’t stop. Can you do that? Yes. “I’d see the sense of it? Woman, have you gone completely out of your mind?” “Nae, this is how life is. Ye marry and have children with the one who will best suit the needs of the family. Ye have always been a dutiful son where the family and Clan was concerned so I know that ye would see that this is the right thing to do.” Brianna shifted, her gaze refocusing back on the dirk. Her lips parted, flecks of sweat coating their full forms. “Nae!” Now! Marion nodded slightly, pushing forward with her hands, shoving the energy she had gathered there down the dirk with every ounce of strength she laid claim to. This needed to be done. Brianna could not be permitted to hurt Callum. Robert would not be taking over the family; neither would he end up as a prize to the blood witch. No matter what else occurred this day, Brianna needed to be stopped. 331

Deed Wife The Clanswoman’s eyes narrowed, then widened. A growl filled the air, only to turn into a scream. Not of rage, or hatred, but sheer pain. Brianna tried to pull free of the dirk, but her hands had been fused to the metal, skin and steel no longer separate entities but one strange, melting mass of humanity. A silver grey caste flushed along Brianna’s arms and beneath her dress. My gods, what am I doing? I can’t...I just can’t do this. Don’t stop, no matter what you see, or hear. Don’t stop. You must go through with this. I’m sorry, so very sorry, but those here must bear witness to the fate of any that seek to take our power. What’s happening to her? She’s facing judgment. Marion swallowed, the heat draining from her body. No, this was wrong, no matter what Brianna had done, she didn’t deserve this. Yes, she does. Regardless, if you don’t go through with this, then we will all suffer. “Please, don’t!” Brianna yanked back from the dirk, or tried to. “Gods, please stop!” “Marion, ye cannae do this to her.” Callum’s fingers dug into her shoulder. “Stop this, now.” “I can’t. I just can’t. This has to be done. I don’t want to do it, but it has to be done.” Marion repeated over and over again. Brianna had no more words, only screams, terrible sounds that seared into Marion’s heart and soul. Each moment that passed turned the woman’s body a little bit more into the odd mix of steel and flesh. Skin and bone shifted into metal, wrapping about body, cloth, 332

Terri Pray leather and hair alike. Only when the transformation reached Brianna’s lungs did the screaming cease. “Lord have mercy.” Callum whispered. No mercy, not from the Lord or the Fae this time. She had been warned. She ignored the warning. That didn’t help. Metal coated her dark eyes, forcing the lids closed, shutting out the final accusing, terrified look that Marion knew she would carry through the rest of her life. It’s done, shut down the spell. No, it would never be done. Not after what she had just been a party to, yet that didn’t stop her from obeying and closing down the spell. “Ye are a monster,” The older Highlander spoke. “No, Sir. I’m a fae. Half fae. One who was threatened and had to act. You did nothing. None of you would have helped me. You wanted to see it done, to know that one amongst you had found a way to kill a member of the fae. Well, even a half-breed has the power to stop you.” Marion forced her voice to work and turned away from the assembled crowed, a slight smile warming her soul. Conner still lived. He stood, shocked white the same way that everyone else in the hall now appeared to be. Everyone, that is, except the now transformed statuelike form of Brianna. Robert lay in a crumpled heap, surrounded by a slowly spreading pool of his own blood. One less death on her heart. Marion took a slow step away from the statue, her 333

Deed Wife limbs refusing to work fully. “Lass?” Callum held out a hand to her. “Tired,” She murmured. “Ye look it.” She tried to say something else, to smile or take his hand, but her body refused to work. The pain had gone, but leaden-weight weariness had taken its place. Marion tried to move forward towards him, but her body had another idea. Her legs gave out, her eyes rolling up into their sockets, and the darkness embraced her before she hit the ground.

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arion didn’t want to move. The darkness, the warmth, the fact she didn’t have to see the face of the transformed woman, all converged into one giant reason not to wake up. Yet she knew she had to, if only to decide where she was going to travel. He wouldn’t want her now. Not after what she had just done. You can’t hide in the darkness forever. Why not? Why did Blue have to keep stepping into her life like this? You ungrateful pup. If I hadn’t helped when you were still in Conner’s grasp, then you would have been sold back to your father by now. I know. I just...well I didn’t want to be this person. Doesn’t matter. You’ve done it, opened the magic, and now the door cannot be closed. You just have to decide on how you wish to live: in fear of the magic, or at peace with it. Just as you had to learn how to be at peace with your need to submit to the man that waits for you to wake up. He was waiting for her? Of course he is. He loves you. Now wake up and see it for yourself. But she didn’t want to wake up. Yes, you do. He’s waiting. Wake up. Now! Blue snarled. Marion’s eyes snapped open, her vision dazed at 335

Deed Wife first. “Lass?” His voice caressed her senses. “Aye.” Marion nodded. Her head throbbed. “Not sure I’m really here yet.” “Ye are here indeed.” He brushed his fingers over her forehead. “But ye are tired still. I had thought…I had thought that I had lost ye. Do ye know how long ye have been sleeping like this?” “No,” she murmured, and tried to sit up. “Three days, lass. Three long, terrible days. I’ve been spoon-feeding broth down ye.” He pushed a handful of goose down pillows behind her back. “No matter what I said or did, ye would nae wake up.” That long? Had she really been out of it for three days? “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. I know—well, I understand—that using magic can be a tiring thing, and ye were certainly putting a lot of yourself into the spell.” “I meant, I’m sorry about Brianna.” Callum smiled and settled in at her side. “Don’t be. She would have been executed. This, at least, also showed others what would happen to them if they tried to cross either the fae or ye. And ye have given the council food for thought. I’m nae saying things will change any time soon, but at least they have been told what they are doing and by someone they cannae just shove to one side.” He wasn’t angry with her? Or afraid? “I didn’t know it would work like that at first.” She frowned, glancing about the room. “I’m in your bed chamber?” 336

Terri Pray “Nae, you’re in ours.” He pulled her into his lap, cradling her against his chest. “Ours. Now and always, lass.” “You still want me?” She nestled against him, trying to keep the hope from growing out of control. “How could you want me in your life when you know what I can do to someone?” “Aye, my lass, now and always.” He whispered against her ear. “Ye submitted to me. I trust ye in that. I trust ye with my life. I’ve seen what ye can do, been there when ye have let ye magic loose on those around ye, and I didnae fear ye.” Tears welled free, seeking a salt-heavy path down her cheeks. “Master…” “Always.” His hand tangled in her hair, the grip forcing her head back. His lips covered hers, parting them with his tongue, thrusting it between them as he plundered her mouth. She groaned, arching into his kiss, her thighs clenched tight, the heat between them undeniable. “Mine, my lass.” “Please,” she whimpered, her nipples hardened points against the soft linen nightgown. “I need you, Master.” “And I you, but we will wait, my lass. Wait until ye are strong again; until ye are ready to stand in front of the priest with me. Kneeling to me in private, standing at my side in public. My wife, my property, my slave, my heart. Everything I need in a woman, and so much more.” Her throat closed, her mind struggling to find a way to express what she felt, how the words left her 337

Deed Wife reeling, caught in the depths of her own desire and love for him. But the only answer she had was two words. Marion lifted up against him and whispered those words against his lips. “Yes, Master.”

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riginally from England, Terri Pray now lives in Iowa with her husband and their two children. She works full time as both an author and the EiC for a small press publishing house. Her work ranges from the mild to the wild, fantasy to erotica, horror through to science fiction.