Highland Flame by Lois Greiman

Author:Lois Greiman [Greiman, Lois]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Scottish Romance, Highland HIstorical, Scotland, Historical Romance, Highlanders
ISBN: 9780380781904
Publisher: NYLA
Published: 1996-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Darkness rushed past them. Roderic's arms entrapped her as he held the stallion's reins in both hands. She should have fought harder to remain behind. She should have clawed and kicked and screamed, but he had kissed her, had spoken gentle words, and a thousand emotions had clouded her judgment, a thousand confusing thoughts had rushed upon her. Thoughts of his strength, his smile, his laughter had dazzled her. But it was the images of him dead on MacGowan soil that had decided her. He could easily have been killed by the burn. Dun Ard was not safe for him, and so she had come with him, had aided his escape, and in so doing, had abandoned her clan. 'Twas a woman's weakness that had brought her here. 'Twas a Flame's strength that would take her back.

"Stop the horse," she ordered.

"Surely ye jest," rasped Roderic, pressing their mount to greater speed as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Ye are safe now," she said, wrapping one hand in the mane. "Let me go."

"Nay." They crashed through a darkened woods, finally emerging in a clearing, but the world was little brighter there, for the clouds seemed to hover around their very ears.

"Ye do not need me anymore," she said. "I have served my purpose for ye."

"Hardly, lass."

She stiffened in his arms. "What do ye mean?"

He pulled the stallion to a shuddering halt and looked behind them as lightning illuminated the world once again. Their faces were very close. His thighs were hard behind hers, and his arms felt strong and warm.

"I mean... ye have captured me heart, lass."

How many years had she waited to hear such words? As a child in a cold, gray convent, she had wept for strong arms to hold her. As a woman, she had longed for love. But she was the Flame now, and words like that would only destroy her.

"I must go back," she whispered. "I am their leader. They need me."

"Ye are a woman," he murmured. "I need ye."

Warmth suffused her. What would it be like to be loved, cherished, protected? All her life she had wanted those things.

He leaned closer. She could feel the steady beat of his heart against her arm, could feel herself falling under his spell.

She had vowed to protect others. She could not go back on her word.

"Flanna," he breathed, leaning closer.

"Nay!" she gasped. "I am not Flanna. I am the Flame."

"Ye are a woman," he breathed, "and ye are mine—"

"Nay!" she shrieked and slammed her elbow into his side. She felt the cartilage between his ribs bow beneath the impact, but there was no time to consider the damage. Taking advantage of his loosened grip, she threw a leg over the stallion's neck and launched herself from his back.

Flame hit the ground on all fours. Behind her, Forbes hissed an expletive of wrath or pain. In an instant she was on her feet and running. Five rods away, the woods towered up to meet her, but already she could hear Cam's snort of surprise as Roderic thumped him into a gallop.

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