Page 69 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
But everyone is asleep.
And something else was crawling beneath his skin. A sense of impending danger that he couldn’t shake.
Callum wasn’t sure why, but the darkness around the castle that night had made him uneasy. He had an overwhelming sense that something was coming. Moving to the wash basin, he splashed cold water over his face, the sting of it helping to clear his mind.
It was important that he got some rest and forced himself to sleep. He had to be sure that he was ready for whatever might befall them tomorrow.
I simply hope that I am wrong. Maybe Moira has really gone, and willnae wish to ever come back here.
But as he looked at his reflection, his own blue eyes staring back at him, the livid scars against his skin felt all the more prominent.
Growling at the back of his throat, he tugged on a jacket and turned toward the door.
If I cannae sleep, I shall make sure everyone is safe. At least then I might be able to rest easy.
Leaving his bed chamber as quietly as he could, he made his way through the dark corridors and down toward the lower hall.
Torches sizzled and flickered against the walls. As he made his way through the darkness, there was the occasional voice or footfall from the servants’ hall, but otherwise, everything was quiet.
Callum stood beside the large entrance door, listening intently, the itchy feeling beneath his skin persisting.
The castle might be quiet, but he still felt dissatisfied. He glanced toward the low window beside the door, the night pressing against the glass.
It had been a long while since he had patrolled the perimeter, but it felt like the only way he would be able to quiet his mind.
Stepping outside, he closed the door and looked up at the dark sky above. The stars were still twinkling, but they were harder to see. Lydia was right, with the torches flickering in his periphery, the brightness of the starlight was dimmed.
He inhaled deeply.
Why will that damn scent nae leave me?
He walked across the cobbled stones, his footsteps echoing around the walls, and reached the outer door.
Two guards stepped aside to let him through.
“Dinnae let anyone but me back inside,” he muttered.
“Aye, M’Laird.”
The west side of the castle looked out on the lake, and he could see it shimmering as he emerged. The surface was so still and calm that the stars were reflected there, too.
Callum began to make his way along the wall, the rough-hewn stone throwing shadows everywhere.
He remained watchful, looking through the gloom for any shadows that might be moving in an unfamiliar pattern.
But in reality, his mind was caught on that calm, clear mirror.
He imagined himself at the lake’s edge, Lydia standing beside him. Their bodies would be reflected on the surface, rippling outward as they stood beneath the wide expanse of sky.
Perhaps she would be captivated by the stars above, her attention elsewhere as he came up behind her.
Heat shot through his body at the thought of running his hands over her again.
What would it be like to take her under the night sky?
He would lay her down beside the water’s edge, her tiny body open for him, ready to be taken.
Sound traveled greater distances across the water; perhaps they would hear her moaning for him all the way to the village.
