Title: Haunted Laird
Author: Tara Nina
Series: Cursed MacKinnons #4
Genre:
Erotic Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
Release Date: November 30, 2012
Heat Level: Sizzling
Word Count: 55,000
Buy Links: ARe,
Amazon,
B&N,
Ellora's Publishing
*USA Buyers of DOUBLE DILEMMA, PORTAL TO PASSION and NIGHT PRAY, will
be mailed both a signed cover flat and a signed book plate for their
book. All other USA buyers of Tara Nina books will get a signed book
plate. Please email a copy of your purchase receipt to Vickie@InnovativeOnlineBookTours.com along with your mailing address.*
Description:
Lynn’s ghost-hunting
trip in Scotland takes an unpleasant turn when she’s kidnapped from her
camp by a group of men rambling about curses and a brotherhood. In a
daring escape, Lynn falls over a cliff and awakens in a cave being
guarded by a ghost, who insists she’s the key to freeing a man who has
been cast in stone by an evil curse. And what a man he is…
Padon
has been imprisoned for over two centuries, frozen in stone. He is
awoken when a sexy siren recites the anti-curse, but he is only
partially free. Stone by day, man by night. Passion ignites between him
and his savior immediately, which makes falling to the curse each
morning that much harder. He and Lynn seek a resolution by making the
trek to Padon’s family castle. But the kidnappers have other plans and
will do whatever they must to make sure this couple never makes it to
their destination.
Excerpt:
She looked through the thinnest area of the waterfall and focused on the
statue. Light from the menagerie of lanterns Jasper had provided shone
on the stone surface, giving it an oddly beautiful appeal. Lynn felt
compelled to speak the verse as she stood in the mist of the falling
water.
“Ceum saor de clach
Be Ye Biast air duine
’Tis Gaol dara slighe
Ge Ye be mèinne
Dh’oidche mur dh’là ”
Seeing nothing happen, a slight bit of disappointment filled her. She
took a breath and leaned her head into the more rapid pulse of the
waterfall and rinsed the suds from her hair and body. Lynn stepped back
from the stream, brushing the hair and water from her eyes. The moment
she regained her focus, she froze. The gasp lodged in her throat.
Was she dreaming?
~~@~~
When he woke, the realization he was no longer at Castle MacKinnon hit
him in the chest with an invisible solid blow. What happened? Where was
he? And most importantly, where was his family?
Padon stumbled forward with his sword held tightly, ready to strike.
MacGillivray was behind this. He felt most certain that dark-eyed devil
lingered near. He swung around, trying to gain his bearings. Shock shook
him to the core as he recognized his surroundings.
He was in the hunting cave. But how? Last he remembered he was aiming to kill MacGillivray for attacking his brathairs.
Padon surveyed the area for any signs of life, knowing only he and
Jasper knew of this cave’s location. Jasper had to be behind his being
here.
He shook his head. Had it been a dream? Try as he might he couldn’t
remember clearly what had happened. Had he been on a hunting trip with
Jasper, drunk too much and dreamed the whole brathairs-turned-to-stone-by-MacGillivray
scenario? The tension in his chest eased a tad but not entirely. He
lowered his sword and knelt by the stream, cupping some water for a
drink, hoping to wash away the severely dusty sensation from his mouth.
He had barely swallowed when he saw her. A vision most beautiful stood
washing her hair in the waterfall. ’Twas it a dream? He splashed the
water on his face and blinked but she still remained. How had she gotten
here? No woman had ever ventured into their hunting cave.
“Go to her. She is your salvation.”
The words whispered to his ears in the sound of his friend Jasper’s
voice. He jumped to his feet and spun around but didn’t see him. Anger,
confusion and fear mixed within him. What the hell was going on? What
sort of sorcery was this? Hearing voices but seeing no one… He slowly
turned to the vixen who now stood staring at him from the other side of
the waterfall. No one was here but her.
Maybe she had the answers he sought, since Jasper seemed to be playing games with him.
Taking deliberate steps, he shortened the distance. Before entering the
water, he set his sword on a large rock and dropped his kilt to the
ground. No need getting his only clothing wet while he interrogated the
woman. He smiled inwardly, knowing he was no small man and being naked
only added to his intimidation strategy. At least that’s what he hoped
when it came to the weaker sex. Determined to get answers, he forged
through the water and onto the ledge.
Coming face-to-face with her rattled his fierce demeanor. She was not
simply a woman, but a gorgeous specimen of female flesh. Though she
tried to cover herself with her hands, she failed miserably. He doubted
even his oversized hands would hide those scrumptiously large breasts.
Taut pink nipples peeked from beneath the arm and hand that attempted to
shield them. Instant hunger pitted in his stomach for a sample of their
flavor.
Her other arm and hand did their best to cover the treasure between her
thighs. It disappointed him to not get even a glimpse of her mound.
Would she balk if he removed her hand so he could see? Padon shook off
the idea. He needed answers, not sex. But his body pleaded otherwise as
his shaft stirred to life. The awakening of his senses kept him perusing
her attributes and muddled his thoughts with desire.
Though she was short in stature, she made up for it with her incredibly
voluptuous figure as far as he was concerned. If her bottom was round
and filled his hands, she’d be perfect. Absently he flexed his palms,
curling his fingers in and out as if he could somehow feel her there
without actually touching her. It didn’t help ease the growing tension
in his bawls for this woman. Being in her presence made him remember he
was a man as his cock twitched and stiffened even more.
Padon forced his gaze to lift from her assets and look upon her face.
Its shape was that of a cherubic angel. Auburn curls carelessly framed
her features. Her lips trembled and it pained him to read fear in her
bright-blue eyes. In an attempt to calm her, he reached to cup her cheek
but she leaned away from his touch. He dug deep to find his voice and
hoped it came across soothing.
“I will nay hurt thee, mi wee one. I only ask thee for answers.”
First Chapter
By the time they finally took a break, Lynn had heard enough. The three
men bickered worse than a group of old women sitting around with nothing
to do but complain about what ailed them. She still couldn’t believe
one of them was Fin, Travis’ partner at MacShain’s Guided Tours. The
tour company she’d employed to explore the greatest haunted locations in
Scotland. If she’d known one of them was a kidnapper, she never would
have joined their group.
Travis! Where was Travis? He’d completely slipped her mind. What had
they done with him? It made her stomach churn not knowing if her friend
were dead or alive. Though she’d listened closely to every word they’d
said, they never mentioned what happened to him. And she had been so
intent on fighting them when they took her captive, she hadn’t noticed
if he lay unconscious or in a pool of blood at their campsite.
She fidgeted but couldn’t move much being they’d tied her hands and
feet, then secured her to a makeshift litter with the sleeping bag from
her tent that they wrapped thick tape around until she was wedged tight.
All she could think when she looked at the contraption they had her in
was one word. Papoose. She was being hauled up a mountain in a giant
papoose. They’d covered her mouth with a piece of the same tape so she
couldn’t scream. Though she tired, she couldn’t push it off with her
tongue or wiggle her lips enough to loosen it.
So she resolved herself to lie there, listen, and reserve her strength.
They were bound to make a mistake and when they did, she planned to use
it to her advantage and escape.
Fin had hidden his face at the campsite she shared with Travis, by
keeping his hood tucked low over his head so she didn’t get a good look
at him then. Now he didn’t even try to hide from her as she glared at
him while he carried the foot end of her prison. The other two, named
Lonnie and Timothy, she couldn’t see well from her position. One of them
was at the head end of the litter while the other apparently led the
way. From what she’d overheard, she was beginning to piece together some
of what they were up to, but still didn’t understand why it involved
kidnapping her.
What did they want with an American from Texas?
If they planned to ransom her off, the joke was on them. Her family
wasn’t rich. The only surviving blood-related member was her sister, who
was married to a small town pharmacist and they had a set of triplets.
Definitely no money left there. Absently she shook her head. As to her,
when Eddie died, he left her comfortable but not extremely wealthy by
any means. If she lived frugally, which she did, the money would last
for years. So as far as exchanging her for money, they were out of luck,
but she didn’t think they had taken her for money. There was this one
thing they spoke of several times.
Who or what was this brotherhood they mentioned?
Lynn inhaled deeply through her nose. Apparently this brotherhood wanted
something they were willing to pay steeply to obtain and didn’t care
what methods were taken to get it. But these guys were out of their
minds if they thought she had anything of worth for this brotherhood.
She doubted it was her they wanted. It sounded like something was hidden
somewhere on this mountain. If they thought she knew where it was, they
were crazy.
Unless… She scrolled through everything she’d learned so far. What if
they were after something in the cave Travis was taking her to visit?
Had they captured her as a trade-off for the cave’s location? Did they
think that particular cave held whatever it was they were looking for?
Did they think Travis shared the coordinates with her and she’d be able
to lead them there? Questions tumbled through her head as she swallowed
the lump of growing fear in her throat. She didn’t know anything. She
closed her eyes, wishing she’d never taken Travis’ offer to introduce
her to a ghost.
She lay there reliving the conversation she’d had with Travis several
nights earlier. She must have looked like the biggest sucker going
sitting across the table from Travis at a pub after their tour of the
underground vaults. Lynn inwardly reprimanded herself for hanging on to
his every word as he’d shared his tale of a night he’d spent in a cave
with an ancient Scotsman’s specter. Travis claimed he would take her
there and she’d be able to communicate with a ghost. The one thing she
had yet to achieve in all her years of seeing apparitions was actually
speaking with the dead and somehow he’d figured that out and used it
against her.
Had he noticed her reactions to the lingering souls wandering the
vaults? There had been so many, she felt certain she hadn’t been able to
suppress her excitement from her facial expressions. Had he read her
desires and played her for a fool? Throughout the tour, she’d noticed
Travis seemed to watch her more intently than any of the others. At the
pub, he’d explained he’d been waiting for the right person with which to
share his spiritual find. She’d fallen for it completely and even did
her best to assure him she was the one he needed, a true believer in
everything paranormal.
Was he somehow a part of this whole kidnapping ploy? Lynn shivered
inwardly. She hadn’t thought of that before. Was Travis not really her
friend but an instigator in this ruse to capture an American? She
couldn’t think straight as ideas of subterfuge and dastardly deeds
tormented her thoughts. No! She refused to believe ill of Travis. He was
innocent in this whole scenario.
Damn! The predicament she’d managed to get herself into all in the name
of ghost chasing. This addiction of hers was finally going to get her
killed.
“Lonnie,” Timothy griped, loudly. Lynn stirred from her musings and
concentrated on their conversation, hoping for a thread of information
she could use in her favor. “We need a break. Carrying this chick up the
mountain isn’t easy.”
“Yeah,” Fin chimed in, “when’s your turn ta help carry her?”
“Quit your grousing,” Lonnie snapped. “We don’t have much farther and we’ll be at the campsite.”
“This better be worth it,” Fin stated heatedly. “The society offered a
tidy sum. How do we know this brotherhood will keep their promise? The
society will pay, there’s no question there. But this brotherhood seems a
bit shady ta me.”
“You’ve pointed that out before, Fin. How many times I got ta tell you?”
Lonnie’s growing frustration was evident in his tone. “Me and Tim
helped save Brother Leod from a fire at a club in London. He promised ta
make us rich if we joined his group.”
Lynn felt the foot of the litter lower as Fin set her down. He moved to
stand face to face with Lonnie, who now stood near her shoulder. It was
apparent he was the one in charge of this operation. She could sense the
tension between them. This was something she could use to her
advantage. Fin didn’t speak much during the week of her guided tour
through the haunts of Edinburgh. He’d let his partner Travis do all the
tour guide stuff while he drove the bus. Now he didn’t seem to hold his
tongue.
“I just find it mighty strange this Brother Leod knows so much about the clan we swore ta protect.”
“We,” Lonnie screeched, leaning to within millimeters of Fin’s
face. “I don’t know about you, but I took no oath. It was a fairy tale, a
myth handed down from our forefathers that suckered us into believing
in a curse on a clan that no longer exists.”
“It must be some truth behind it or why would so many before us stand
together united?” Lynn saw Fin’s stance change as if making ready to
fight. “And best o’ all, why would this newfound friend o’ yours be so
interested in what the society protects? Think maybe he’s up ta no
good?”
Lonnie shook as he waved his hands in the air in frustration. “I think
you be backing out on us, Fin. You be in too tight with the society.” He
poked Fin in the chest with his forefinger as he bellowed, “Are you
with us or are you not? You might want ta be thinking about it afore you
answer.” He nodded toward the side of the path that was a steep
drop-off into a ravine. “Looks ta be a mighty long fall.”
Fin’s shoulders tightened and it appeared as if he reined in his anger,
taking a step back. She heard his heavy exhale as he replied, “I’m in.”
“Good,” Lonnie spat back at him. “Now pick up your end and let’s get going.”
Lynn couldn’t help but wonder about Fin’s connection with these two.
Silence fell between them, which gave her time to sort through the
limited details. Apparently they all belonged to some sort of society
sworn to protect some nonexistent clan. Lonnie had a new friend with
lots of money and a desire to own something the society protected. But
what? None of them had let that slip.
Fin wouldn’t look at her. Instead his gaze seemed to glance occasionally
behind him as if expecting to see someone there at any moment. Travis
maybe? Momentarily a spark of hope for his safety gave her an instant of
relief that Travis might be tracking them or gone for help. When Fin
wasn’t looking behind, his eyes stayed straightforward and she could
only imagine the hole his glare would bore through Lonnie’s back if he
had such a power.
And from what she’d figured out, Timothy did whatever Lonnie told him to
do. So even if Fin had changed his mind about being a part of this
team, he was out-numbered. She focused on Fin. He was the weak link.
Something didn’t seem right with him and this little adventure.
Something she hoped she could twist in her favor when the time was
right.
It was after dark when they reached the designated campsite on the
ridge. Tents were already erected. It appeared as if they had set up
camp before they invaded her campsite and took her captive. They set her
down. Timothy stacked wood in the pit to build a fire. Fin disappeared
into one of the two tents. Lonnie plopped onto a large rock beside the
pit.
When Fin came out of his tent carrying a lit lantern, she tried to talk
against the tape to get his attention. Though it was nothing more than a
mumbled noise, he squatted beside her and sat the lantern on the ground
near her head. In a low tone, he spoke to her, “I’m going ta remove the
tape. If you scream, I’ll have ta put it back. You no going ta scream
are you?”
Lynn shook her head and he slowly removed the tape from her mouth. She
wiggled her jaw and wet her lips. It felt good to have that off her
face. Now if she could just get him to unwrap the tape that bound her to
the stretcher and release her arms from behind her back her shoulders
would be forever grateful.
“Can you untie me please?” she asked softly, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Fin glanced at his partners then pulled out a pocketknife and started
cutting the tape. He hadn’t gotten far when Lonnie jumped up and ran
over to him.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Fin didn’t stop. He continued cutting without looking up from his task. “The lass is in need o’ a bathroom break.”
Lonnie commanded, “Then she’s your responsibility. Make sure she doesn’t
get away.” He turned on his heels and stomped over to the other tent
and went inside.
“Real friendly guy,” Lynn stated coolly. Fin smiled at her wisecrack and
the tension in the back of her neck eased. Once he freed the tape from
across the sleeping bag, he lifted it off her and helped her sit
upright. After cutting the tape binding her ankles, he untied the rope
from around her wrists.
“You okay ta stand?”
“I think so. I’m a little stiff.”
“Here, I’ll help you,” Fin offered as he took her hands and guided her to her feet.
Lynn’s legs were fine. She wiggled her toes in her boots trying to
loosen the tightness in her ankles. Rolling her shoulders and moving her
fingers helped relieve the dead sensation and numbness in her arms and
hands. The small of her back ached from lying on her hands balled
beneath her. The only good thing from being carried up the mountain,
she’d laid there listening, learning their motives and reserving her
energy. As soon as the tingling quit in her arms and feet, she knew
she’d be ready to make a break for it.
She took a step toward the trees when Fin cut her off. “Nay, lassie.
I’ve got ta keep you from running.” He held a longer rope, which he
secured around her waist.
“Really,” Lynn said with her eyebrow cocked and a hand on the rope.
“It’s either this or I hold your hand while you pee,” Fin stated
point-blank. Lynn opened her mouth to protest then shut it. He was
serious. He grabbed the lantern and held it out so she could see where
she was going.
They walked several feet away from the tents. Fin stopped her and turned
her to face him. He hung the lantern on a branch so it bathed the area
in a low glow. He took hold of her hands as he spoke in a whispered tone
so only she could hear.
“Listen, Lynn. Things are not as they seem. Please abide by Lonnie’s rules for now and I’ll see ta it you make it home safe.”
Lynn swallowed her excitement. She was right about Fin. He really wasn’t
part of this, but somehow had gotten roped into it. Keeping her voice
low and her tone even she asked, “Why are you helping them?”
“That be a question I cannot answer now.” He nodded toward the campsite.
“You best be doing your business quickly or Lonnie just might come
looking for us. He may not be the brightest but he does have a mean
streak.”
She nodded and scooted behind the trees out of his view. Indecision
warred with her insides as she relieved herself while at the same time
loosening the rope. She wasn’t a liar, she really had to go but she had
no intentions of missing the opportunity to escape. When she stood and
secured her jeans, she turned and walked face first into a hand over her
mouth and an arm around her waist.
“Don’t scream, Lynn. It’s me, Travis,” he whispered in her ear.
Fear filled her. In her panic, his words didn’t register. She bit his
hand and kneed him in the family jewels. Adrenaline rushed making her
run faster than she’d ever run in her life. Limbs slapped her face and
left behind stinging scratches. Darkness surrounded her, only the
occasional light from the stars and moon filtered through the canopy of
trees. Limited line-of-sight didn’t stop her. She kept on running.
Several times she tripped and miraculously she managed to stay on her
feet, blindly grabbing hold of branches or trees to break her fall.
Voices echoed behind her making her push onward even though she gasped
for air. Her lungs hurt. There wasn’t an uncovered patch of skin that
didn’t burn from being attacked by objects in the dark. She knew if she
didn’t slow down she was going to get severely injured. When she
couldn’t hear the voices behind her anymore, she slowed to a stop and
bent over with her hands on her knees trying to clear her head and
breathe.
Wheezing in and out, she thought she was going to be sick even though
her stomach was empty. Her capturers hadn’t fed her. Dizziness made her
head spin, causing her to crumble to her knees. Uncontrollable tears
gushed and for the first time since the whole thing started, she felt
completely helpless. Sob after sob croaked from deep inside her before
she finally curled into a ball on the soft forest floor.
She lay there for several minutes more, trying to calm her frazzled
nerves. The sensation of warmth cocooned her, soothing her, clearing her
thoughts as the faint sound of her dead husband’s voice flowed inside
her head. Think, Lynn. Think. There’s got to be a way out of this. Lying on the ground won’t save you.
Lynn sat upright, dried her eyes and gathered her wits. Eddie reached
out to her in her time of need just as he’d done whenever she was down
or distraught over the past three years. This she knew in her heart.
Whether she imagined it or not, it was his whispered words of
encouragement that sparked her drive to survive and pulled her back
together. He was the reason she’d come on this trip to Scotland, to
fulfill their ghost hunting dreams. She’d be damned if she’d let some
two-bit kidnappers ruin her life. She struggled to her feet and
straightened her clothes as best as possible.
Up ahead through the trees, she thought she saw a break in the woods.
Maybe there was a meadow and quite possibly a house with people who
could help her. Slowly she worked her way in that direction. The sound
of male voices from somewhere behind her scared her. They were still
coming after her and getting closer. She dug deep for any energy she had
left and ran.
The moment she cleared the tree line, the ground went out from under
her. She landed on her backside and began a torturous slide, bouncing
off saplings, rocks and underbrush as her speed increased. Afraid she’d
break her neck if she didn’t stop, Lynn kept grabbing onto anything that
would slow her descent. Several times the thin saplings she managed to
grasp pulled out of the soft ground, slowing her some but not much.
Digging in her heels helped, but the moist soil gave away until she hit a
solid mass, a well-embedded rock that stopped her downward spiral.
Lynn came to a bone-jarring halt, leaning into the side of the mountain
and praying the rock beneath her feet didn’t pull out of place. Once the
dirt around her stopped shifting, she evaluated her condition. It
didn’t seem as if anything was broken but it was hard to tell through
the total body numbness. Breathing deep, she calmed her overwrought
nerves and forced her trembling hands to search from side to side for
anything that would help support her. Peering down the length of her
body, she realized she’d slipped into a ravine and from her position, it
looked bottomless. It wasn’t an open meadow she’d seen, it was simply
an optical illusion caused by the way the moonlight played upon the
countryside.
Damn! She closed her eyes and it hit her. She was living the dream she
had the first night of this ghost hunting adventure. Dead tired from
hiking into the Grampian Mountains, cozy and warm in her sleeping bag,
her imagination ran wild in her sleep and she had awoken all hot and
bothered by the images fired to life in her brain. Thinking back, it
replayed as if she were asleep and the dream reoccurred.
Don’t look down, whispered through her head as she gasped for a
full breath. She clung on for life in her dream just like she did now.
Dirt slipped from the mountain, crumbling around her with any movement.
Lynn kept her eyes closed tight, listening to the echo of a rock as it
rolled into the deep crevice beneath her. It sounded so far away. She
tried desperately not to think on the ‘what if she fell’ scenario and
let the memory of the dream temporary control her thoughts.
She’d had help then whereas now there was none. As she’d reached upward,
a hand had grabbed hers. If she remembered correctly, warmth had shot
down her arm as a strong hand wrapped around hers. Lynn leaned back into
the mountain, letting the vision of hope live in her mind in a valiant
effort to relieve the tension of her reality.
One hand held hers, while the other reached and grabbed her backpack,
tugging her into the mouth of a cave without so much as a grunt from the
effort. Once certain of her safety, she’d lifted onto her knees, turned
on a flashlight she couldn’t remember from where she’d gotten it, after
all it was a dream. Several seconds passed before she could actually
focus. But when she did, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
A gorgeous hunk of a man dressed in full-scale, ancient Scottish regalia
stood staring down at her. The way the light played across the plains
of his face gave him a dangerously rugged appeal. She couldn’t decide if
his eyes were green, blue or a mixture of both. A firm jaw held a set
of perfect male lips. Waves of dark hair thick with amber highlights
hung loose about his broad shoulders.
He was bare-chested except for the leather strap that crossed from left
shoulder to right hip, which held the sheath for the sword she saw the
handle of above his shoulder. The man’s abdominal muscles were unlike
any she’d ever seen. Ripped was the only word that came to mind, but
even that didn’t do him justice. A red and green plaid kilt slung low
across his hips lay perfectly to his knees. Laced boots covered from his
calves to his toes, but from the snug fit hid nothing about their
musculature. His legs befit the rest of him, muscles on top of muscles.
For a split second, wonder if he’s true to his kilt flashed
inside her brain and she’d had to fold her hands together to resist the
temptation to lift the plaid and take a peek. She swallowed hard, then
forced her brain to work and made her mouth form a sentence.
“Thank you for saving me.” She remembered speaking as she held her hand out to him.
He’d stared for what seemed like an eternity before he reached for it
and helped her to her feet. She stumbled on weakened legs and fell
against the solid wall of male flesh. His arm wrapped around her waist,
holding her closer along the warmth of his form. His other hand’s
fingers gently touched her chin and guided her face upward. He seemed to
study her before his eyes met hers.
The low sultry baritone of his words washed over her as he spoke. “Nay, milady. 'Tis ye who hath saved mi.”
In the dream, his arm tightened around her waist as he lifted her
without any effort. One of her hands held his thick, bulging biceps
while her other hand landed on his waist for support. Never had anyone
lifted her to kiss her. Nerves fired to life that she’d thought
were dead. The closer his lips got, the more she wanted his kiss. This
slow motion event was killing her. The heat of his breath caressed her
lips just millimeters apart. The warmth of his body set her on fire with
desire.
Lynn caught herself craning her neck trying to reach his lips. Opening
her eyes reality set in. She truly clung to the side of a mountain for
life. She tilted her chin upward, but saw nothing much in the darkness.
Was there a handsome man waiting to rescue her? Nervously she laughed at
the ludicrous thought. There wasn’t anyone who knew where she was or
would risk their life to save her.
This wasn’t a dream. This was her reality.
No, it was up to her to save herself. She dug deep, brushing away the
perfect hero-saves-the-day dream from her thoughts and struggled for
survival.
Cautious in her movements, she inched along the rock, turning until she
was face first against the dirt. Should she try to climb down or was it
easier to go up? Lynn moved her hands palm flat along the ground
searching for any point of support, anything she could grasp. The
fingertips of her right hand brushed something rough and solid. Lynn
rotated her head in that direction. It appeared to be a ledge. God, she
hoped it would hold her.
With slow, careful movements, she worked her way toward the lip in the
rock, hugging her body to the mountain for dear life. She used the
plants for leverage, holding on but not pulling so their roots wouldn’t
break and jerk free from the ground. It seemed like an eternity had past
before she reached the ledge. Every muscle ached and trembled but she
refused to give in to the exhaustion that threatened to tear her from
the mountainside. Nope. She didn’t plan to fail. That ledge was her
salvation, her place to rest and recuperate until sunrise.
She gripped the rocky edge. When it didn’t break off and slide away,
relief made her smile. Now all she had to do was pull herself up onto
it. Toeing her boots into the dirt, she tried to push upward using her
legs. The ground slid out from beneath her right foot and she slipped,
leaving her dangling by her hands. Her shoulders screamed in pain and
her arms shook, but she tightened her grip refusing to lose this battle.
Sheer will helped her find a sturdier foundation. Her left foot located a
rock and her right she planted between the base of a bush and the dirt.
Spread-eagled wasn’t the best position but it kept her from falling any
farther. The rock didn’t feel as sturdy as the bush so she pushed up on
her right leg and glided her left leg closer to the right until it
found a secure spot stuck in a hole a wee bit higher than the bush. She
struggled inch by inch until she was able to hoist herself onto the
ledge.
Lynn rolled several feet away from the edge and onto her back. Breathing
heavily, she lay still trying to evaluate her condition. Nothing felt
broken. Her legs and arms trembled from the excessive exertion she’d
placed on them. This definitely was more exercise than she’d ever
gotten. Seconds turned into minutes as she simply lay there. The
pounding of her heart resumed its normal pace and the tension in her
body relaxed, giving her a chance to reflect on the events that led up
to her precarious predicament.
Don’t scream, Lynn. It’s me, Travis.
The words rolled around inside her head and the sudden realization of what she’d done surfaced. Ohmygod! Travis!
She’d attacked Travis, the one person who she thought was on her side.
Or maybe he wasn’t. She truly didn’t know for sure anymore. Hysterical
laughter rose from her chest.
What had she done?
She rolled onto her side and curled into a ball. The laughter slowed and
exhaustion took over. Everything hurt. Both arms and legs trembled
uncontrollably. A deep-seated ache bloomed from her core and spread
outward until every ounce of her was thoroughly sated, causing her
muscles to spasm at will. Her body gave her no other choice but to
sleep. If she saw the morning light, it would be a miracle.
Invisible, strong, gentle hands caressed her, lulling her to sleep.
Warmth surrounded her. The handsome man reappeared in her dreams, giving
her comfort in her time of need. She snuggled closer into the imaginary
heat of his body. He surrounded her, coddling her against him as if he
alone would protect her from the elements. Sensing he stood watch, Lynn
relaxed further into the depths of sleep, letting his sexy image renew
her desire for life and for him.
He appeared to be tall with wide shoulders and thick arms that would
hold her for as long as she needed to be held. Long, dark hair with rich
shades of red was pulled away from his face, making her wish to untie
what bound it and set it free to landscape his rugged features. Deep,
blue-green eyes stared at her filled with wonder and wisdom beyond his
years.
In this dream, he said nothing nor did she. He simply held her while she
slept, keeping her close and away from the edge of the ledge. His
imaginary heat warmed her and warded off the cool night air. A sensual
dream not sexual guided her into a peaceful place where the hazards of
her day no longer existed. It was just her and her hot, dream-walking
man.
Author Bio:
Hot Romance~Sexy Attitude best describes Tara Nina’s
writing style. She creates for Ellora’s Cave in sensuality ranges from
steamy hot to simmering sweet, which includes paranormals,
contemporaries and romantic suspense. She is a Southerner living in the
northern wilds of New Jersey complete with grown children, three dogs,
and a mountain man for a husband.
Connect with Tara Nina
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