Page 69 of Dark Side of the Laird
“Ye want to fight then, MacDonald? I’ll even let it be a fair fight. Dagger against dagger. Ye’ll never walk out of my hall again. I gave ye a chance.” I shrugged. “Now, ye’ve drawn on me, and I’ve no choice but to end your miserable life.”
Behind me, I heard Emma squeak, reminding me of my vow of peace.
“Love, if ye would, wait for me upstairs,” I said.
I don’t know if she left or not, but I couldn’t concentrate on that. I had to dispatch of this giant rat once and for all, peace be damned.
“Your call,” I taunted. “I but await ye.”
MacDonald growled, his cheeks growing ruddy as he circled me, arms up in defensive mode, his blade glinting in the candlelight.
He lunged toward me, slashing viciously with his blade. I jumped out of the way at the last second, but his blade did catch my shirt, tearing it at the shoulder, but missing my flesh all together. For a man easily a decade older than I, he was quick. But not quick enough. He didn’t scare me. Only made the fight all the more challenging.
I retaliated with my elbow to his brow, and my dagger slicing along his ribs. I didn’t stab him, just a slice. I changed my mind. I didn’t intend to kill him, nor to mortally wound him. Only to punish him for challenging me. Give him a minor fraction of a taste of what I’d had to endure. Drawing attention to myself now would ruin all the plans I had—plans for peace and days on end in bed with Emma.
I bounded back, ready for his next move. The man growled and lunged again, ducking at the last minute to slice at my shins, but I kicked his hand away, his dagger clattering across the floor. A flash of fear showed in his eyes, as he stared up at me. But I slowly backed away, allowing him a chance to reacquire his weapon.
MacDonald might have been fast, but did he really think with as many attacks as we had on our castle that I wouldn’t be able to easily deflect his moves? I trained my men to protect the king. I trained men to fight half a dozen warriors at once. Fighting against one Highlander was like sending a squire into a room full of hussies and not expecting him to come out a man. Ridiculous.
My enemy’s face grew red with anger and he bared his teeth at me as he jumped to his feet, dagger retrieved. We made two more circles, but I refused to make the first move. This was his fight.
MacDonald lunged forward again, but this time, he twirled in the opposite direction at the last minute, hoping to catch me off guard. He nearly did, but I was fast, too. I turned with him, slicing his other side.
That only made the old dog angrier and instead of backing away, he went at me again, punching with his free hand, and trying to stab at my heart with his weapon.
Enough was enough. I bellowed and head-butted MacDonald square in the center of his forehead. I hit him hard, seeing the room spin for a second as I braced myself not to fall. The blow took MacDonald completely by surprise and he stumbled backward, dropping his knife, and grabbing at his head, the skin split above his brow.
He clutched at his head and fell to his arse, a loud oomph issuing from his wretched mouth.
I walked over to him, and pressed my foot to his chest, pushing him backward. Still stunned, he fell back, and I kept my foot on his chest.
“Dinna challenge me, MacDonald. Ialwayswin.” I glanced up at my men who looked on without a trace of thought on their faces. “Send this heathen and his wayward niece home. No need for niceties. They can ride chained in the brig of the galley. Drop them at one of the beaches of Pentland Firth and let them find their own way home.”
“Ye son of a bitch! Ye’ll pay for this!”
“Likely, ye’ll try to attack me again, and likely ye’ll lose. Though, next time I will nay show ye mercy. Next time I will slice ye in two and feed ye to the cats in the hills.”
I nodded to my men who came forward and trussed MacDonald up. The bastard was lucky I’d decided to turn a new leaf, as Emma put it. He screamed insults and threats as they dragged him away. But all I could do was laugh. The man was madder than a cornered wildcat. I was actually looking forward to his revenge—and taking his life.
When I turned, I thankfully found that Emma had listened to me. I rushed up the stairs, rounding them two at a time. I found her waiting inside, staring out the window. As soon as she heard me, she whirled and ran toward me, launching herself in my arms. Neither of us spoke, but stood there silent, holding each other tight for several heart-pounding moments.
Then I released her, and poured us each a glass of wine.
“To us, and our new beginning,” I said.
Emma raised her glass. “To us, and a destiny fulfilled.”
“Nay, just beginning.” I winked and we clinked out glasses, sipping the wine.
Emma stepped forward and wiped something from my forehead. “We could both use a bath.”
Without hesitation, I stalked to the door, opening it and ordering a bath to be brought in, not bothering at all to make a show of modesty. I wanted to soak in the warm water with Emma. We’d had little privacy at Hilde’s cottage, and we’d not made love in the flesh in nearly two months.
My body was on fire for her. Holding the roundness of her hip in my palm was enough to get my blood stirring, cock hard. We stood before the hearth watching as servants rushed in and out with the tub and water. I was ready to disband with the washing and send them all away in favor of stripping Emma bare and worshiping her where we stood.
“Want me to wash you?” she asked, staring up at me.
I shook my head and she frowned.
