Chapter 2

2

W ar cries rang out behind her, and Emily turned around in total shock.

Suddenly, soldiers were all over the kirk, attacking James’s men where they stood. They were huge, beefy warriors, overpowering everyone in their path.

Her eyes darted around, trying to take in everything at once, but it was the man at the bottom of the aisle who truly captured her attention.

He was enormous. On his shoulders was a thick layer of fur resting over a tight leather tunic. A tartan sash was fastened with the brooch of his clan, which gleamed on his shoulder. Long dark hair fell about his neck, with dark stubble covering his jaw. His arms were bare, and she could see a spider’s web of scars on them, starkly white against his tanned skin. His eyes were fixed on Laird Orkney, dark and filled with rage.

Emily instinctively took a step back. As she did so, his piercing eyes found hers, and she froze in place. Hardly able to take in a full breath, she drank him in.

In an instant, he was moving. Great thumping steps brought him level with her in a few short strides. Laird Orkney hollered furiously as two enemy soldiers gripped him by the arms and forced him to his knees.

Emily looked up into the chiseled, angry face of the newcomer and decided now would be a good time to move. She lurched sideways away from him, but he was quicker than her.

His arms came around her waist, and she was spun around on the spot. Something was tied tightly around her wrists.

“Unhand me!” she screamed as she was lifted over a massive shoulder.

She was rendered utterly immobile by an enormous hand on her back. She gasped in shock as the same hand patted her on the backside as though she were a dog that had done its master’s bidding.

“I’ll kill ye for this,” Laird Orkney bellowed, wrestling against the men who still held him down. His eyes were murderous and dark, and he was breathing heavily.

“Och, aye?” The stranger sounded unconcerned. “Ye plannin’ to do that now, or shall I wait for ye to get up?” he asked with a sneer.

But to Emily’s surprise, Laird Orkney sprang into action.

He raised one knee, spun about, drew a knife from his boot, and sliced at one of his captors. The man bellowed, stepping back as Orkney planted a fist into the other man’s jaw. In a moment, he was on his feet, sword in hand, turning to the newcomer with renewed vigor.

Emily rocked sideways violently as the man holding her wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her in place. He had his sword in his hand, too, as the Lairds faced off against one another.

“Ye are in nay position to make threats,” the stranger spat.

Emily could see he was right. Every one of James’s men had been overpowered, and no one in the congregation looked as though they would fight for him.

In a panic, she twisted around to see what had become of her father and brother. Fear sliced through her as her gaze fell on them. Bruce had put up a fight and had a cut beneath his eye. They were both kneeling beside one another, watched over by two enemy men, swords pressed to their throats.

If anyone hurts me family, I’ll kill them meself .

She was wrenched from her thoughts as she lurched sideways—the two men began to fight one another. Laird Orkney stood on the step above the aisle and had a slight height advantage. But the other man had strength beyond Emily’s wildest imaginings. He brought his sword down in a clash of steel as they circled one another.

She tried to free herself, but the arm around her waist was as solid as granite.

The two men lunged at each other, metal colliding as they stabbed at each other viciously with short, jerky movements. Emily couldn’t help but be impressed as her captor defended himself effortlessly, even with her weight over his shoulder.

Laird Orkney cursed as his opponent’s sword descended in a great arc and sliced into his arm. He fell back against a pew, blood spurting from the wound.

“Next time, it will be yer neck,” came the angry voice of her captor.

She cried out as he lifted his shoulder, jostling her.

“It looks like ye’re nae marryin’ this man today,” the stranger said. He turned to face Laird Orkney, and Emily twisted to see what they might do.

Laird Orkney was sprawled across the pew behind him, blood spreading down his arm in a dark stain. “Who are ye?” he demanded. “What are ye doin’, interruptin’ me weddin’?”

At those words, the newcomer lifted his sword and rested the blade on Laird Orkney’s throat. “How dare a dyin’ man ask for me name?” he replied mockingly, stepping up to him without a trace of fear. Emily almost fell to the floor. “If ye want yer bride back, ye will return me sister to me.”

His sister?

Looking down at Laird Orkney, Emily saw the confusion flicker across his face. It wasn’t difficult to believe that he had a different woman in every clan.

“I dinnae ken what ye’re talkin’ about. I dinnae ken yer sister!”

“Her name is Laura, and ye ken her very well.”

James’s eyes grew wide with recognition. It was clear he knew who this Laird spoke of, but his lips twisted into a snarl. Emily wondered sorrowfully if the girl was dead.

The kirk spun about her as the man holding her turned around and walked down the aisle. His men were still fighting, and the smell of blood hung heavy in the air.

I have exchanged one nightmare for another.

“If anyone tries to stop me, yer Laird dies, and so do ye!” the stranger shouted.

The faces of the congregation all around them were fearful and subdued. Many men and women leaned away from him as he passed.

He must have been six foot five; his height had dwarfed even James. Emily could be badly injured if she fell from this height with her hands bound behind her back. Nevertheless, she kicked madly as he reached the back of the kirk.

Her captor turned once more, looking back at James. Laird Orkney was bloodied and beaten, leaning against the pew, watching him go.

“Remember what I said,” her captor called to him, “ye’re runnin’ out of time.”

As he turned and walked through the dark opening of the kirk and out into the pale sunshine, Emily fought for all she was worth.

“Compose yerself.” His voice had softened dramatically. It held a quiet command that reverberated through her whole body. His arm loosened just a little, his words low and intimate as he pulled her body against him. “Ye’re mine now.”