The Betrayal

CHAPTER Ten


Grant stalked off into the darkness, filled with feelings of self-revulsion. He’d seen the pain in her eyes when he’d rejected what she was offering. But how could he allow himself to take advantage of her, when she had no idea what she was doing? If she wouldn’t protect herself, someone had to. Foolish female. She’d spent a lifetime in paradise, where there existed no false pretense or dishonesty. How could she hope to survive in a land where such things thrived? Added to that, after only days away from her family, she had convinced herself that she was in love.

Love. If only it were so. He’d never met a finer woman. So sweet, so gentle, so generous with her gifts. It hurt him to hurt her, for she deserved only good things. But it was better this way. He would cut her off, quickly, deeply, to save her from even greater pain later.

But if her pain were anything like his, he hoped one day she would forgive him. For right now, this minute, he would give anything to forget about honor and integrity and simply take what she’d offered. He wanted her so desperately, it was a wonder that his heart was still beating. In truth, death would be preferable to this pain.

With a muttered oath he clenched the dirk at his side and almost prayed he would find some creature to fight. There was nothing like a good, satisfying battle to take his mind off what he really wanted to do.

Kylia drew her cloak around her and stormed back toward the campfire, her mind in turmoil. Was that how the lord of the MacCallum clan saw her? A foolish female seeking the thrill of a mere kiss?

She’d come offering him her heart. Did he have any idea what it had cost her to admit the truth? To bare her soul to him. Yet he had calmly, coldly rejected it. Rejected her.

He may have wrapped his rejection in pretty words about a wolf and its prey, but the meaning was perfectly clear. He didn’t want her. Didn’t want to be awakened from sleep to devour her.

Devour.

Kylia stopped in midstride as the meaning of his words washed over her. An aroused wolf devouring its prey.

Could it be that he hadn’t rejected her love out of disinterest, but out of fear for her? She clapped a hand to her mouth as the realization dawned. He’d been protecting her. Her virtue. Afraid to take what she offered. Afraid that, by satisfying his own hunger, he would bring harm to her.

Her heart swelled with love for the man who would put her needs ahead of his own desire. No wonder his people had chosen him laird of their clan. Could they have found a more noble, honorable man than Grant MacCallum?

In her mind he had become a hero. A warrior and protector, determined to save her at any cost.

She turned back in time to see him disappear into the shadowy fringe of the forest, where he blended into the darkness. Moving quickly she followed.

Hearing the crunch of leaves and the snap of branches, he whirled, sword drawn.

When he saw that it was Kylia, his eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t be here.”

She ignored the thread of anger in his tone. “I know now what you were doing.”

He watched the uneven rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to calm her breathing. Nerves? he wondered. Or merely the exertion of following him?

“And what is it you think I was doing?”

“Protecting me, my lord.”

His frown deepened. “Such a clever woman, my lady. If I’m not careful you’ll soon uncover all my secrets, and figure out all the ways of my world, as well.”

“Perhaps not all of them. But this much I know. You are not as disinterested in me as you pretend to be.”

He couldn’t hide his surprise. “And how would you know that?”

“For one thing, you have never once called me by name. Is it because you find my name so distasteful on your tongue? Or do you think, by refusing to do so, you keep a distance between us?”

For a moment he simply stared at her as he mulled her words. “I think perhaps you’re far too clever by half, my la—” He stopped. “I see what you mean. Very well. I’ll agree to call you by name if you’ll do the same for me.”

She swallowed and folded her hands primly at her waist before lifting her chin. “Grant.” It was spoken in a whisper.

The smile returned to his lips. This time he allowed it to reach his eyes. “I can’t hear you.”

She cleared her throat. Met his look. “Grant.” She spoke the word clearly. “There you have it. And now mine, my lord.”

His smile faded, replaced by a frown. His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword until they were white. Why was this such an effort? He couldn’t say. But he did manage to say, “Kylia.”

“I don’t believe I heard you, my lord.”

She was teasing him. He could see the laughter in those heather eyes. Teasing him as a maiden would tease a lover. The realization had him thrusting his sword deep into the ground before reaching out to close his hands around her upper arms and draw her closer.

“Kylia.” His voice was a growl of pleasure and pain. “Kylia. Kylia. It is the loveliest name in the land. And I have long wanted to say it aloud.”

He dragged her into his arms and pressed his mouth to the hair at her temple, breathing her in. “Kylia. My beautiful Kylia. As lovely as your name.”

“Grant…”

He cut off her words with a kiss that seemed to steal her very breath. His mouth moved over hers, drinking her in, tasting, devouring.

She was caught by surprise. Always before, his kisses had been hesitant, almost reluctant. As though testing her, and allowing her to test him. To explore the unknown. But this time it was different. There was a boldness, a possessiveness about this kiss that had her head spinning, her heart thundering. He took it deep, draining her even as he filled her. As his arms tightened around her, he took the kiss deeper still, until she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck and give herself up fully to him.

“Grant.”

“I love the sound of my name on your lips.” He spoke the words against her mouth, then inside her mouth.

She couldn’t catch her breath. Couldn’t think. All she could do was hold on as his kisses took her higher and higher.

The hands holding her were almost bruising as they moved over her with a hunger that spoke to an answering hunger in her. And all the while that warm, clever mouth plundered hers.

She was hot where he touched her. So very hot. Yet icy needles slithered along her spine with each brush of his mouth on hers. She absorbed the rush of heat.

She moaned when he lifted his head, breaking contact. But instead of pulling away he merely changed the angle of the kiss and took it deeper, causing her to sigh with pleasure.

Her blood heated and pulsed and her breathing became ragged as his strong, clever hands moved over her, touching her everywhere, unlocking feelings she’d never even known existed. She wondered that her frantically beating heart didn’t simply give up from exertion.

Grant could feel the change in her. She’d gone from surprise to a gradual awareness of herself as a woman. From surrender to desire. From desire to need. A need that was as compelling as his. Now what he wanted, what they both wanted, was within their grasp. They need only to take it.

Still he held back, concerned with her welfare. “Think, Kylia, what it is we’re about to do.”

“I can think of nothing else, Grant.”

Nor could he. He nearly smiled, but this was far too grave an issue for levity. “Once we do this thing, we can never go back.” He stared deeply into her eyes and saw the little fear that flickered there.

“You worry over me. Over my virtue.”

“One of us must look out for you.”

“Aye. And for that I’m grateful.”

His tone roughened. “It isn’t your gratitude I desire.”

“Nay. It is this.” She lifted her face to him. In her eyes was a look of such love, it nearly melted his heart. “I have no wish to go back, Grant. Only forward. With you.” She lifted herself on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his throat.

Such a simple gesture, but the tenderness of it was his undoing.

The blood roared in his temples. His vision was nearly blinded by a mist of passion. His heart beat a thunderous tattoo in his chest. With each touch of her, each taste, the need grew until he was beyond thought, beyond reason.

With a growl that seemed more animal than human he drove her back against the trunk of a tree and savaged her mouth with kisses that left them both gasping for breath. Though this change in him had her fearful, she clung to him, offering more, wanting him to end this terrible need inside her.

Needs unlike any she’d ever experienced writhed and twisted, demanding to be satisfied. Deep inside, a small fist pulsed and throbbed like a hollow ache. Her breasts felt swollen and tender, as her body strained toward his.

He ran hot, wet kisses along the smooth column of her throat, sending delicious curls of pleasure down her spine. But when his mouth dipped lower, to capture her breast, she could do nothing but gasp his name.

Despite the barrier of her gown, he nibbled and suckled until she moaned and writhed in his arms. “Grant, please…”

He lifted his head. “Do you wish me to stop?”

“Nay. I…” She couldn’t speak over the dryness in her throat.

“Tell me that you want this, Kylia.” He waited, afraid to breathe. If she should change her mind now, he would surely die.

There was a light in her eyes he’d never seen before. A gleam of desire that had her tossing aside her cloak and reaching up to twine her arms around his neck. She drew his head close for a slow kiss as she whispered against his lips, “I want this, Grant. Only this. And you. Only…”

He cut off her words with a kiss so hot, so hungry, it seemed to steal her breath.

And then there were no words as he tore her gown aside in his haste. It pooled in the grass at her feet while he untied the ribbons of her chemise. As the fabric parted, he studied her in the moonlight. “Oh, my sweet Kylia. You’re even more beautiful than I’d imagined.”

He ran soft, nibbling kisses across her shoulder to her collarbone, then lower to her breast. He could feel the way she shivered, and he gathered her close, taking her nipple into his mouth.

She was seized with the most unbelievable wave of heat that nearly staggered her. She had a need to touch him as he was touching her. She reached blindly for him, and when her fingers fumbled, he helped her until his clothing joined hers in the grass at their feet.

He caught her hands and drew her down to her knees, before gathering her close to press kisses to her upturned face. He struggled to bank his needs as he kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, the tip of her nose. He could feel her relax in his arms as he ran his fingers lightly down her back, drawing her even closer, until his body was imprinting itself on hers.

“Do you know how much I want you, Kylia?”

When she didn’t respond he drew her down, until she was lying beside him, with nothing but the cloak beneath to cushion her from the grass. “I would move heaven and earth for you, my lady. I would face the wrath of an army, or walk through a wall of fire, just to be with you.”

She reached a fingertip to his mouth, tracing the outline of his lips. “I ask none of those things, Grant. I ask only that you feel about me on the morrow the way you feel about me this moment.”

“I fear I cannot promise that, my lady.” His eyes took on a light that had her heart stopping. “For I know that on the morrow my feelings for you will be even stronger.”

“Oh, Grant.” Her heart soared at his words.

He moved over her, touching her, kissing her, with a skill that had her shuddering with need. And though at first she was timid, she had a powerful need to touch him, as well. And did, until she heard his moan of pleasure. That only made her bolder, until she pressed her mouth to his throat and was rewarded by a wolfish growl from low in his throat.

He leaned over her, his eyes hot. “I warned you, Kylia. Beware. For now that the wolf has been wakened, it will devour you.”

“I’m not afraid, Grant. For the wolf has been awakened in me, as well.”

They came together in a kiss that spoke of wild, primitive hunger. Of hard, driving need. Of desperate, raging passion. The forest that surrounded them no longer mattered. The night creatures that scurried through the brush were ignored. The wind that whispered in the leaves overhead went unnoticed. The darkness covered them with its mantle, shutting out the world. All they could hear was each labored breath. All they could feel was the heat that rose between them, clogging their lungs, leaving their bodies slick with sheen. All they could feel was this intense pleasure building, building with each touch, each kiss.

No man had ever touched her like this. One moment, so gently she nearly wept. The next, taking her on a wild climb until her heart was racing, her breath panting from between parted lips. Taking her higher, faster, until her head was spinning and her mind was so clouded she could no longer form a single coherent thought.

All she could do now was feel. The most incredible feelings as, with teeth and tongue and fingertips he drove her up and up until she thought she would go mad from the wanting. She didn’t think it possible to want more. But each time she believed him ready to end this terrible need, he simply took her higher.

“Grant.” His name was torn from her lips as she reached for him.

“Not yet, my love.” He thought of all the things he’d dreamed of since meeting her. But none of them could compare with this. She lay in his arms, steeped in pleasure. Moonlight filtered through the branches of the trees, turning the ends of her hair to blue-black. Her eyes were glazed with passion. He could read the desire that mirrored his own.

The thought of taking her hard and fast had him trembling. He was desperate for release from this terrible storm building inside. But he wanted to give her so much more. He was determined to make this first time as pleasurable as possible. And so he brushed her mouth with his until the breath trembled from her lips.

He knew if he didn’t soon end this torment, he would go mad. And still he waited, lingering over her lips until she arched toward him. The press of her body to his was his undoing.

With a hoarse cry he entered then. He felt her stiffen and went very still.

“Forgive me, my love. I never meant to hurt…”

She cut off his words by dragging his head down for another kiss. And then she was wrapping herself around him, taking him in deeper, and he was lost.

He framed her face with his hands and stared into her eyes as he began to move. Half-mad with desire, she moved with him.

“Kylia. Oh, my lovely Kylia.” He saw her eyes widen as she struggled to focus on him.

“Grant.” His name was torn from her lips as together they began to climb higher, then higher still.

Their breathing was labored, their hearts pumping furiously as they soared to the heavens and shattered into millions of tiny stars.