Chapter 1

1

The ceremony passed by far quicker than Liam had imagined. His vows, said with a seriousness that shocked even him, had served to awaken his nerves. Somehow, when he imagined the end of the ceremony where he would walk away bound to his new bride, he had only been thinking of the future in abstract terms. He hadn’t considered the immediate after, where they walked hand-in-hand to the chamber that would now be theirs. Together.

The click of the door closing behind them had a note of finality that shook Liam from his nuptial-induced stupor, and when he came to, he looked around as if seeing everything in a new light. The room was lit by the dim glow of candles scattered about, though none of the warmth reached him. He was numb to anything but the thought of the woman now standing beside him and the expectations he was no longer sure he could fulfill.

Alison looked around, a soft smile on her face at the scene before her. She had been sure of their union from the start, but now sharing this moment with him, she was even more determined that their pairing would be successful. When she caught sight of Liam’s face, the pinched eyebrows and twisted lips, she couldn’t help but giggle. He was a few years her junior, with still enough baby fat on his cheeks to make him cute rather than the rugged handsomeness she knew he would grow into. His jaw spurted only the beginnings of a beard that she knew would grow in time, and his warm gray eyes seemed more awed than sure as he bit his lower lip and gazed around the room. A wave of warmth surged inside of her at his uncertainty. It was so strange to be protective of a man who would one day lead the clan. It was enough to have her looking away as she took a deep breath in.

“I still can’t believe this is really happening,” Alison said, breaking the quiet as she gazed around. She let go of Liam’s hand and walked further into the chamber, enjoying the play of shadow and light on the walls. This was the beginning for them. The beginning of a relationship she had been wanting since the moment the thought came to her. Her family hadn’t been totally on board given his age, but Alison had been sure of it. The Andersons had been allies to her family clan—strong allies with a record of always being dependable and moral in their decisions. Laird Anderson had always been impressive, but when Alison had first heard Liam speak, he seemed to embody all that and more. “I’ve looked forward to this night for so long.”

“You have?” Liam’s question was quiet, but she could hear the thread of nervousness twined within his words. When she looked back at him, he seemed determined to look anywhere but at her. She wasn’t sure if it was nerves, or if perhaps he didn’t truly want this union. That was a thought that hadn’t occurred to Alison, but now that it was named, it seemed to spread with a fervor inside her mind. She took a step back, trying to contain her own emotions. In pushing for this union, she hadn’t considered whether Liam had come into it of his own will.

“Aye,” she replied, trying her damnedest to remain firm. She tugged on the end of her braid, a nervous habit she’d had since childhood. “I hoped that we would be granted one another. I know we both would do our best and work for the good of the clan.”

“Sae, this marriage between us… ‘tis only for the clan.”

Liam’s words sounded so unbearably dejected that Alison couldn’t help but rush to his side. She took his hands, large enough to already engulf her own, before looking up into storm-gray eyes that she knew she would never get tired of. Such a small touch shouldn’t have warmed her cheeks as it did, but she couldn’t deny the spark of want that spread from her fingers upward. His hands gripped hers tightly as if afraid to pull away, and that glimpse of a strength not yet realized sent a bolt of want through her. Alison had no intention of ever doing so. She clung to him with a fire that was determined to never be extinguished.

“Nay. Not only for the good of the clan, but also for us.” She searched Liam’s eyes. “I want so much for this to work because I selfishly want to be yers.”

The words were vulnerable, hitting at a deep part of her that refused to be contained. Before she could second-guess herself, Alison leaned in, covering Liam’s lips with her own. The kiss wasn’t spot on, but it was perfectly imperfect. Liam fell into Alison with a fervor that surprised even him. Their lips moved together, and for a moment, his worry nearly overcame him until he realized he wasn’t alone in the cautious brush of lips. It was at once so clear that Alison had no more experience at this than him. For some reason, it made him feel protective of this woman who had willingly and enthusiastically become his wife.

Alison knew what kisses were, but she had never attempted one herself until now. She had seen people kiss, sometimes a simple peck of acknowledgment, and others a press of lips so strong it almost toppled the couple over. Those had been at the forefront of her mind as she thought about her wedding night with Liam. Would he kiss her softly? Or would the tingle of want that had been present for her when she’d caught sight of his windswept hair and bright smile, undo her completely? She was pleasantly surprised to find that both were true. Liam’s lips moved against hers, first softly and then with a harder press until she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his shoulders to keep from toppling back.

Liam’s shoulders were wide, though she knew based on his father’s broad build that he was probably not done growing. The thought of him growing more into himself had her shivering. He was already tall enough to have her on tiptoes to keep the press of their lips firm, and his hands were large, spreading warmth against her back where they rested. Alison loved the feeling of being enveloped by him as the air between them disappeared. The warmth in the room seemed to grow with each soft smack of their lips, the sounds sending bolts of pleasure skating over Alison’s nerves. She almost wished she was privy to Liam’s thoughts to know how he felt. If she had been, she would have known how ecstatic he was to have her in his arms.

Liam’s chest burned with the need to breathe, but he couldn’t bring himself to break away. Alison felt so warm and solid in his arms. Her unique fragrance pulled at him, sending him falling into her until the taste of her was imprinted on his lips. This passion was nearly overwhelming, threatening to pull them both under as Liam reached up, palming her cheeks with his hands. His grip was firm yet gentle as he slowly separated their lips, cold air rushing in the scant space between them. Alison’s heart pounded in a staccato rhythm as she opened her eyes. Liam’s familiar gray seemed engulfed in a fire that had her body clenching with need.

She brought her hands down, settling them against his broad chest as she let herself float in the pleasure of having just kissed her new husband. Without words, they moved as one to the bed, letting the newness of their passion envelop them. The candles burned bright in the background, painting the room in warm colors that heated their blood. When Alison tilted her head up, silently asking for another kiss, Liam groaned, diving between her kiss-bitten lips again and chasing her taste until he thought it would imprint itself on his soul. No more words were needed as they fell into the pleasure that two bodies could bring.

Liam woke slowly as if wading through thick molasses, clawing through the fog of sleep. He wasn’t sure what had woken him up. It was still dark, clearly night, and the candles had all but burnt themselves out. He was at once reminded of where he was when the heaviness in his arms shifted. A tantalizing scent curled around him, and he buried his nose in the fragrant tresses that tickled beneath his chin. The night had brought many new experiences, ones he was excited to have more of, perhaps at dawn’s new light.

A muffled groan reached him then, the sound garbled and wholly out of place in the normal silence of the castle. He tightened his arms around Alison as a wave of unease swept through him. Something about that sound wasn’t quite right. When it came again and then once more, he leaned up on his elbows, careful not to disturb Alison where she slept against his chest. Liam strained forward, focusing his hearing until his neck grew tense. When that horrible sound came again, he narrowed his eyes against the darkness, trying to understand if he were hearing the desperate struggles of an animal or something far worse. All at once, a scream shot through the air and with it, Liam jerked up until he was sitting, his gaze burning a hole through the door.

“Liam? What’s going on?” Alison said, her voice still thick with sleep. The final death of that scream was still ringing in his ears. “What was that noise?”

If not for Alison’s question, he would have thought himself locked in a dream, but Liam was on high alert. That scream was familiar and yet not. He didn’t understand how something could all at once be familiar and yet so foreign. He moved to stand, grabbing his kilt with jerking motions and sliding it up before it fell to the ground. He tightened his belt, not bothering to grab his shirt before creeping towards the door. The house was silent again, but this time, the silence was unnerving. It was the type of deathly stillness that only came about after something had gone terribly wrong.

Liam turned to look over his shoulder when he heard the rustling of fabric from the bed. Alison had pulled on her gown and was slowly making her way to him. Her footsteps were light against the baseboards, but each one had Liam’s anxiety flying that much higher.

“Nay, stay here while I go see what’s going on.”

Alison shook her head. “I’m not letting you go out there on your own,” she said, her voice hard with determination. “What if something happens to you?”

Liam gripped Alison’s shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes. His heart swelled with the knowledge that she was concerned for him, but for now, he needed her safe. There were two sides warring within him now; the need to know what was going on and the need to make sure whatever this was didn’t reach her.

“I need you here safe. I can’t let anything happen to you.”

“Aye, and I feel the same fer you,” Alison stressed, reaching up to grip Liam’s arms. “What if something happens, and you need me?”

Liam smiled though it felt brittle. He felt a sense of urgency that drove him forward. “I promise you I’ll be careful.” He kissed Alison’s forehead softly before turning to the door. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile before opening the door and taking a step out of the room.

The hallway was silent, not even the floors creaking below his feet. He walked towards the side of the castle that his parents occupied. It was strange. He heard nothing from their chambers, though the scream had been loud enough for both him and Alison to hear.

“Father?” He called out softly, waiting a few moments for any response. When none came, he crept closer, eyes trained on the door at the end of the hallway. It was open slightly, letting light arch across the floor. “Father? Are you all right?” It wasn’t like them to not hear when Liam called out. Many a time, he had been scolded for making too much noise in the dead of night.

All at once, he heard a shuffling before the door to his parents’ chambers opened as if in slow motion. His uncle, Cormac, slowly walking backwards. Liam must have made some noise because Cormac turned then, his eyes wide with shock at whatever he had seen beyond the door. Liam’s breath caught, and he froze in place, not understanding what he was privy to.

“Cormac? What’s going on?”

Cormac glanced back at the doorway before pinning Liam in place with a pained expression. “Don’t go in there, lad. There’s no need fer you to see this.”

His words made no sense. See what? His parents? It wasn’t until he felt pressure on his arms that Liam realized he had been trying to push forward into the chamber. Cormac’s grip was strong and he outsized Liam easily. Another flurry of movement came then as chambermaids rushed in and out, their expressions drawn tight and severe. Liam nearly fell to his knees when he caught the scent of blood, and it was when another servant girl brushed past Cormac that Liam was able to break free and enter the chamber. When he did, he almost turned and fled the other way.

The scent of blood in the room was damningly overwhelming. The candles that had seemed so warm in his own chamber now cast eerie shadows over the walls, and Liam shut his eyes tight before they readjusted. There in the middle of the bed lay two unmoving figures. Blood stained the sheets, and they were rucked up in a way that almost hid who they were. Liam stepped ever closer, his hand outstretched with the sickening need to see. His mind couldn’t understand until he was there beside them.

His mother and father, dressed down for sleep and yet with eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling. Liam opened his mouth to say something, only to realize he was already screaming. The blood-soaked sheets were in his hands as he clutched at them like a lifeline. He shook, shock nearly sweeping him away before Cormac grabbed him and hurried him out of the room.

“Be still, lad,” Cormac said, voice rough and whispered.

Liam pushed away before falling to his knees. The air was crisp with a chill that left him shivering in the night. The wind seemed to wrap around him like a specter of death, and he shouted out into the grass. A day that should have been perfect, now stained by the blood of loss.