He silently thanked the heavens he had long thought abandoned him for his good fortune in finding Bliss and blessed fate for seeing them brought together. He also warned both of the havoc and pain he would rain done upon them if either should take her from him.
A sudden rapid pounding on the door had Rannick’s heart slam against his chest as he bolted out of bed and reached for his sword.
“A troop of warriors try to free the prisoners!” Lawler shouted.
“I will be right there. Post two guards at this door,” Rannick shouted back.
“Already done,” Lawler called out.
While her husband hurried into his garments, Bliss threw her shift on after scurrying out of bed.
“You will be safe here. Do not leave this room,” Rannick ordered.
“Nay, my skills may be needed,” she argued.
“Not this time. You are to stay safe,” he said and swung the door open and quickly addressed the guards. “Do not let her out of this room and let no one in.”
He was gone before she could make him see reason. The clan had no healer. Who would see to the wounded? Her answer came unbidden… other warriors accustomed to tending the fallen. She shook her head and began to pace, wondering if this madness would ever stop.
Until the wrong is made right.
How could the wrong be made right when no MacWilliam lived? The possibility that the MacWilliam bairn may have lived still poked at her. And she wondered once again if this could be all the bairn’s, now grown lass, doing? Was the bairn, now a grown woman seeing that the wrong was finally made right? But would that mean her husband’s death?
She shook her head as her heart squeezed with fright. Never would she have thought of protecting the cursed lord, but that was her thought now… how to keep her husband safe.
Her worry deepened when she had to add logs to the dying fire, meaning more time than she would have liked had passed. This was more than a skirmish and why hadn’t this group of warriors been spotted? Unless… she did not like to think that someone in the Clan MacClaren had joined ranks with them. Or was it more than one person?
She continued pacing unable to sit, her mind overrun with worry until a sudden shout halted her steps.
“GO! It is done!”
Her heart beat heavily against her chest at the sound of her husband’s commanding voice.
The door flung open and Rannick stood in the doorway. Water drops glistened on his beard and his wet hair, as well as a few on his naked chest. He had made the effort to rid himself of all blood and she feared the fight had not been an easy one.
He clutched his hands at his sides. “Go to bed, wife, I will see you in the morning.”
Bliss understood then, had seen it in some men after battle, the need to release the overpowering rage and courage it took to fight not only the enemy, but the fear of death itself stalking the battlefield, ready to whisk your life away.
He turned to leave.
“Rannick!” she cried out and he turned quickly. She didn’t hesitate, she ran to him.
His arm caught her around the waist and her arms circled his neck. He lowered his brow to hers before she could kiss him. “My need is too great.”
“So is mine,” she said and stretched her hand out behind him to hurry the door shut as if that could stop him from leaving.
“You are playing with danger, Bliss,” he warned.
“There is no danger here, only love,” she said and slowly brought her lips to his.
His hand gripped the back of her head, holding it tight, as his lips claimed hers and none too gently. His hunger and need were powerful, and a spark of fright mixed with her own raging passion.
Their lips remained locked in the kiss as he hurried her to the bed and when he released her, she rushed out of her shift and went to help him out of his plaid. He stopped her, giving her a gentle shove to land on the bed.
He was soon naked and fell down on the bed nearly on top of her but stopped himself before their bodies touched. He slipped his arm under her waist and with a quick lift had her head on the pillow and her body positioned perfectly beneath him.
He nudged at her legs with his knee. “Spread them.”
She quickly obliged.
He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and grimaced.
“Rannick?” she questioned softly.
“I should go slow, easy,” he said as if warning himself.
She grabbed his arms, taut at both sides of her as he hovered slightly above her. “Nay! Nay! I cannot wait. I will not wait another moment.” She arched her body against his and gasped when she felt the size of him poke against her.