Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

T hey had barely entered the cottage when he had her bent over the table, her garments tossed up and his shaft inside her. And she had welcomed him, couldn't wait to feel him there, couldn't wait for him to quench her need that seemed never-ending.

Shade silently admonished herself for letting her thoughts drift to yesterday, though this morning wasn't much different. As soon as they woke his hands roamed over her intimately, touching her in places she had never touched herself. She didn't stop him. She didn't want to. She intended to enjoy what time they had together and regret not a moment of it. She had now, for three days, and she hoped there would be many more days before he had to take his leave.

Her stomach knotted. It did every time she thought of him leaving and her glance went to him stacking wood he had chopped. The entire side of her cottage was nearly stacked with it. He hadn't said, but she knew he was concerned that she would have enough firewood for when winter set in. She cherished the easy comfort they shared, much like a couple who had been married for years.

Shade shook her head. She could not allow herself to dwell on what could be but rather enjoy what she had here and now. She got busy gathering up the blanket she had thrown over a low branch this morning so it could soak in some fresh air. She had given it a good washing when summer had been ending and the sun was still warm enough to dry it in a day. Now she would air it and the sheets several times before winter set in.

Arms suddenly wrapped around her while Quint's hands took hold of the blanket and wrapped her in it and drew her cocooned body against him.

"I got you where I want you," he said and teased her neck with nibbles.

Gooseflesh ran over her, firing a spark in her. "And I thought you preferred me naked."

He hoisted her up so that her feet didn't touch the ground and carried her to the cottage. "Which is how we are both going to be shortly beneath this blanket. And don't think I don't know that you prefer me naked since it is obvious you cannot resist my body."

Shade chuckled. "I do love your body and what it does to me."

He nibbled at her neck again, then whispered, "What does it do to you, Shade?"

Gooseflesh ran over her again, igniting the spark it had flamed. "The most wickedly wonderful things."

"Good, because I am feeling extremely wicked," he said and was about to capture her lips in a kiss when he suddenly shoved her behind him, the blanket almost falling to the ground if Shade hadn't grabbed it.

When Quint's glance shot to his sword braced against the bench, she realized he sensed or heard someone's approach. Then as fast as his concern appeared, it vanished.

"Show yourself, Dru," he called out.

Shade quickly folded the blanket over her arm and was surprised to see a young lad emerge from the woods. As he came closer, she realized she'd been wrong. It wasn't a lad. It was a lass and a dirty and smelly one at that.

Quint scrunched his nose and shook his head. "Good, Lord, Dru, are you rolling around in that stuff?"

"As often as I can," Dru said and gave a nod at Shade. "I came to see the healer."

Shade shoved the folded blanket against Quint's chest, forcing him to take hold of it and approached Dru. "How may I help you?"

"My arm isn't healing like it should," Dru said, sticking her arm in Shade's face.

Shade did her best not to gag on the foul smell that consumed the young woman or show her worry over the filthy bandage on her arm. "Come into the cottage and I will tend to it."

"Nay!" Quint said. "She will stink up the cottage."

"A good washing will take care of that," Shade said and Dru quickly moved away from her.

"I'm not washing. Men gag at my stink and leave me alone and that's the way I like it. I'm here for your healing skill. Quint told me that you're a good healer."

"Quint is a friend of yours?" Shade asked, curious.

Dru shook her head. "Quint doesn't have any friends."

"He does now. I'm Quint's friend," Shade said with a smile. "And I am pleased that he considers me a good healer." She pointed to the bench by the cottage. "Go sit and I'll have a look at your arm."

"We will talk when Shade is done with you," Quint said with a look at Dru that meant it was not a suggestion. He sent a quick glance at Shade as he headed to the cottage door. "I will get your healing pouch and cloths for you."

She joined Dru on the bench after filling a bucket with water, her stomach turning from the stench that drifted off her.

"So, you befriended Quint," Dru said as Shade began to remove the soiled bandage from her forearm.

Shade chuckled softly. "We sort of fell into friendship."

"How do you fall into friendship?"

"One day you're strangers, the next day you're not and you don't know how it happened," Shade said and examined her wound before placing her arm in the water up to the elbow to soak. "How do you know Quint?"

"He saved my life."

Shade waited to hear more but Dru said no more about it.

"Quint is a good man. You need to always remember that," Dru said.

"It is not something I am likely to forget."

"What aren't you likely to forget?" Quint asked, handing Shade a small stack of cloths and placing her healing pouch on the ground beside her.

"What a good man you are," Shade said, and the bridge of his nose wrinkled as if in distaste and his response surprised her.

"There is a fine line between good and evil."

"And there is not one among us who hasn't walked that line," Dru said.

Shade sensed from the glances exchanged that there was more between Quint and Dru's friendship, but she wasn't one to pry. If either of them wanted to tell her they would. One thing was clear, they protected each other. The question was… from what?

"Would you like some food and cider while I tend to your wound?" Shade asked, having heard the young woman's stomach gurgling in hunger.

Dru's eyes turned wide. "That would be generous of you."

"Keep your arm in the bucket of water while I go get you food and drink and I have freshly made oat cakes if you'd like one or two."

"Two," Dru said quickly. "I love oak cakes, but I haven't had them in a long time."

"Then three might be better," Shade said and hurried into the cottage.

"She is a generous woman," Dru said, not taking her eyes off the closed door.

"Shade has a good and caring heart which makes her a good healer.," Quint said and sat beside Dru on the bench. "You're here for more than your arm."

"Aye, I followed that lead I had and discovered that a man fitting the description of the man you search for was seen speaking to Lord Torrance."

"Do you know why or how they know each other?" Quint asked. "And what of his name?"

Dru continued to tell him what she had learned. "I can't be sure about either, though tongues wag enough about it to know that the truth lies somewhere in the gossip. The man, Asher, is to take control of Clan MacLeish, after he completes a mission for Lord Torrance, and keep the clan in hand until Lord Torrance arrives and issues orders. From what I heard; he is far from a kind man."

"It appears that Lord Torrance has confidence that he will win the battle against Clan MacLeish."

"He's raised a large enough paid army," Dru said, "though Chieftain Ryland is supported by most of the surrounding clans and even more clans to the north."

"With the confidence Lord Torrance is displaying, I would say there is more to his plan than he lets anyone know, which could mean he does not intend to fight honorably."

Quint stood and took the wooden bowl from Shade when she stepped out of the cottage. He placed it beside Dru on the bench and Shade added a tankard filled with cider there as well. He retrieved one of the other benches around the property and sat it in front of Dru, making it easier for Shade to tend to her.

Dru didn't waste any time, she went for an oat cake first.

"Do you have a home, Dru?" Shade asked.

She shook her head and finished chewing the sizeable piece of oat cake before responding. "I travel from late spring through about now when I settle for the winter at Clan MacLeish. Chieftain Ryland lets me winter there. I'll be headed there once I'm done here."

Shade gently removed her arm from the bucket of water. "I have a good friend at Clan MacLeish, Ula. She wed Caleb, a member of the clan."

"I was leaving the day Ula arrived and only saw her in passing, but I know Caleb. He is a good man," Dru said in between stuffing food into her mouth.

"I will give you enough food to last until you reach Clan MacLeish," Shade said, patting the lass' arm dry with a cloth.

Dru stopped chewing and stared at Shade a moment, then with a mouthful she mumbled, "You have been generous enough, I cannot?—"

"In exchange for delivering a message to my friend Ula. Please let her know that I miss her and if she needs me for anything to let me know and I will be there for her."

"I can do that," Dru said.

"You cannot do that," Quint ordered.

"Aye, I can and will do it," Dru argued.

"I don't mean you," Quint said with a quick glance at Dru before looking at Shade. "You cannot travel to Clan MacLeish, especially with battle on the horizon."

"If my friend needs me, I will go," Shade said with a stubborn lift of her chin.

"Nay, you will not," Quint demanded.

"You have no say over me," Shade said, as if dismissing his remark and continued to spread a salve over Dru's wound.

"If you wed her, you would," —Dru grinned— "have a say over her. That is"

Shade saw the way Quint's body tensed at the suggestion. He was not ready to wed. She wondered if he would ever be ready, the memories of his wife still too fresh in his mind. She was a distraction from those memories and the reason why he cared for her. But she doubted he would ever love her and the more time they spent together the more she fell in love with him.

"I ran across a cleric not far from here," Dru said.

Quint's eyes narrowed as he shot her a look. "What is he doing in the area?"

Dru shrugged. "I don't know. I only know he isn't far from here."

Shade didn't want to hear any more about marriage. Quint had no desire to wed her and why would she wed a warrior who would barely be around? Or was that an excuse to ward off the pain of Quint having no interest in wedding her?

"Your wound will do fine," Shade said, grabbing a cloth to bandage the wound. It is healing nicely, and the salve and a clean bandage will see to the rest."

"You have a very gentle touch," Dru said.

"I try," Shade said with a smile. "Now, I am going to put a sack of food together for you and a clean cloth for when that one gets dirty. You can stay as filthy and smelly as you like, but you will keep your wound clean until it is fully healed. You can have Ula look at it when you reach Clan MacLeish and deliver my message. She knows enough about healing to tend to it for you."

"You truly are too kind," Dru said and shook her head. "Be careful, there are those that see kindness as a weakness and take advantage of it."

"I have seen that for myself, and I do my best to avoid it," Shade said and gathered up her things and entered the cottage.

Dru continued eating the food that was left. "You know you placed her in danger, don't you? If you wed her, no one would dare touch her. They would be too fearful of the consequences. Besides, you'll never find a woman who would willingly wed you."

"Since you are so intent on seeing me wed, why not do the same yourself? Find a man and wed him."

"You first," she said and chuckled.

Shade returned with the sack of food. "There is no rush. You may stay as long as you'd like."

"I'd rather be on my way. It's a day's journey to reach Clan MacLeish but I'm quick-footed and can get there sooner." Dru stood, taking the sack from Shade. "I'll make sure Ula gets your message and thanks again. I appreciate your generosity and kindness."

"You are welcome to shelter here anytime, Dru. Consider it a safe haven whenever you need one." Shade went to hug the petite lass, but she jumped back.

"I stink," Dru said.

"Everyone needs a hug now and again," Shade said and stepped toward her. This time Dru didn't move. She accepted the hug, and Shade felt the lass melt against her. Like herself before Quint, Dru hadn't had anyone hug her in a long time.

Dru turned away, calling out, "Thanks again for everything."

Shade felt for the lonely lass, having caught the tears that had rushed to her eyes.

"Dru!" Quint shouted and hurried to where she stopped just inside the forest.

Shade watched the two talk. They were such a contrast. Quint so tall and muscular and Dru petite and slim, yet she felt there was more to their strange friendship than either would say. And what was Dru doing roaming the Highlands on her own? She was curious to know, though doubted either would say a word if asked, which made her even more curious about what secret they might be keeping.

Quint approached the bed naked, and Shade saw that he was more than ready to couple, but her curiosity had her asking as she drew back the blanket, "How did you save Dru's life?"

He stopped before climbing in. "That's not something I want to discuss right now."

Shade rose to kneel on the bed. "Will you ever want to discuss it with me?"

Quint snagged her around the waist and yanked her against him. "Wrap your legs around my waist."

Shade did as he said, her arms going around his neck, and she reminded, "You haven't answered me."

He nuzzled her neck and felt the gooseflesh prickle her soft skin, then said, "You think Dru and I share a secret, don't you?"

"You are preceptive," she said and kissed him lightly.

"I've grown to know you." He kissed her, but it was no light kiss, and he lowered them to the mattress, placing her on her back while he kneeled low over her.

She felt his manhood slipping into her. There would be no touching or teasing tonight, the size of his manhood let her know his need was too great for them to linger in play, and she felt the same. For some reason, her passion had ignited long before she had gotten into bed and all she could think about was feeling him move inside her.

"I intend to bury myself deep inside you tonight," he whispered near her ear.

"It is exactly where I want you."

"Release your legs," he ordered, and she did.

He rose up on his knees, grabbed her bottom, and yanked her forward, spearing her with his shaft. She cried out with pleasure and was soon lost in the pleasure of his mighty plunges.

Quint loved the feel of her hips rising and meeting his every thrust, hearing her moan, watching her face twist in pleasure and her hands grip the sheet not ready to let go yet. He had awakened the woman in her and she had had healed and awakened his shattered heart, and he intended to never let either go dormant again.

"I can't wait any longer," Shade moaned.

Her plea sent him over the edge, and they plunged together, his roar drowning out her cries of pleasure until both faded and he collapsed on top of her.

Much later, Quint lay awake, Shade burrowed naked against him, her leg resting over his, her arm over his chest as if she was trying to hold on to him, to never let him go. He never thought he would ever feel for another woman again after losing Amara, but bloody hell if he didn't feel for Shade as strongly if not stronger than he had for Amara. Maybe it was because he understood love better now than he did when he had met Amara. She taught him about love, and it was the only reason he could recognize love again.

But he still had a mission to accomplish. He still had to avenge his wife's brutal death, or he would never be able to fully love Shade as she deserved to be loved. But he also had to see Shade protected and he intended to see that done before he had to bid her goodbye… for now.