Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“ O ch, Owen,” Iseabail cried, jumping from the chair and throwing herself upon his chest. “Ye’re awake. Ye’re alive. I was so terrified that ye wouldnae come back tae me. I thought I’d lost ye.”

Owen wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and held her close to him.

“I’m so sorry I scared ye so much, Iseabail.”

She lifted her head up to look at him. “I’m in love with ye, Owen Sinclair.”

She watched Owen’s delighted smile, and then he nodded. “And I am in love with ye, Iseabail. With all me heart.”

“How are ye feeling?” she asked, pushing herself off him, and taking his injured arm in her hands.

Owen bent his arm at the elbow several times, showing her how well he had healed.

“I dae believe Ada is a witch,” he quipped, raising his eyebrows mischievously.

“Indeed, she isnae a witch at all. She’s like me. She has a gift.”

“I ken,” he replied with a grin. “She told me.”

“I was so scared ye werenae going tae mak’ it. Ada was so good, and told me that only due tae her gift, were ye likely tae survive. Ye’re a madman, dae ye ken that? Only a madman would launch us off that wall and intae a raging, freezing cold sea.”

“I had tae dae something.” Owen shrugged. “Ye were in danger.”

She gazed at him tenderly. “I ken. And thank ye. For saving me life. Again.” But then, all the worry she had suffered the last three days rushed back to her, and with a playful scowl, she began her tirade accompanied by mock strikes to his body. “But if ye ever,” she struck him, “ever,” she struck him again, “put yersel’ intae such danger again,” another strike came, “I swear tae all the gods,” one more strike, “I’ll kill ye mesel’.”

Owen tried to defend the soft blows, and when she was finished, he was chuckling and nodding.

“All right. I surrender. I will try me very best nae tae put us in such danger again. But ye said it yersel’ when we were at the wedding celebrations last week.”

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide and eyebrows high on her forehead. “What did I say?”

“Ye told me that trouble just comes and finds me.” He grinned.

With a light smirk, she said, “Ye’re intolerable.”

He was still grinning when he replied, “Aye, and that’s nae the first time ye’ve said that tae me either.”

For a long moment, Iseabail stood and gazed at him, a serene smile dancing on her lips. It had been a long three days waiting for him to awake, but now, as he gazed back at her, she had to admit, he looked far healthier than he ought. Thank all the gods for the powers of Ada. If it wasn’t for her, Iseabail was certain the circumstances would have been very different.

“So, tell me,” Owen said. “How did ye manage tae get me here from the boat? In fact, where is here?”

“We’re in a place called Huna. The boat that saved us was sailing here. I will admit,” Iseabail still felt a little ashamed, “I used me gift and compelled them tae help me. First, I compelled one o’ the sailors tae tell me where the nearest healer was, and then, once we were docked, I forced all o’ them tae help bring ye here.”

She sighed heavily. “I did feel a little bad about it, but at the time, I didnae care. I was desperate, and ye needed help.”

Owen shook his head. “Ye shouldnae feel bad, Iseabail. I’m sure those sailors returned home that night, proud o’ themselves fer doing something good.”

She considered his words, and then thought back to that night.

Iseabail had been terrified that they might be too late. His skin had been ice-cold, he had lost so much blood, for the blanket they had wrapped around him was soaked in it, and he had not shown any sign of consciousness for the entire journey.

Maybe she had used her gifts for her own ends, but she had saved a life. Surely, the gods could not be angry with her about that.

She gazed back at Owen warily, and then said, “I have another confession tae mak’.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Owen regarded her with amusement, as though nothing she could say would annoy him.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “I sent a missive tae yer fajther, telling him everything.”

That got his attention, and the amusement disappeared as he frowned a little. “But why?”

“Tae begin with, keeping this from Laird Sinclair was eating away at me soul,” Iseabail sighed. “I blackmailed his only son, heir tae his clan, forcing him tae come with me on what I kent would be a dangerous mission.”

“I’ve already told ye?—”

“Let me finish, “Iseabail interrupted him. “I ken ye’re here now by yer own free will, but the thing is, yer faither doesnae ken the truth. He was under the impression that ye were taking me back tae me faither’s castle, Owen. If anything happened tae us, he wouldnae ken where ye are. I cannae bear the thought o’ yer faither and Eden worrying sick about ye if we end up getting ourselves killed.”

Owen shook his head. “We’ve survived so far.”

“Only by luck and the grace o’ the gods,” Iseabail countered. “Even I could nae have foreseen the troubles we have encountered. I kent it was going tae be dangerous enough, but after that attack by Laird Sutherland’s men on South Ronaldsay, the stakes are now considerably higher.”

“I dealt with them then, and I will deal with them again,” Owen said confidently.

Iseabail was beginning to get frustrated at his stubborn and slightly arrogant attitude. He may well have dealt with them, but he also nearly died in the process.

“That is just it, Owen,” Iseabail cried. “By fighting them, ye have now made yersel’ nae only an enemy o’ Laird Sutherland, but a target.”

Again, Owen shook his head and, looking at her with a determined expression, he said, “I dinnae care. I told ye the other night, Iseabail. I’m nae leaving yer side, nay matter what happens. He can send his whole army after me, and I’ll still stand between ye and them.”

While his bravery was commendable, and a part of her loved the idea of how protective he was of her, Iseabail knew the strength of Laird Sutherland’s forces. Their clan had been forced to deal with attack after attack over the past year, and she had witnessed with her own eyes, the damage the laird was capable of doing.

Owen then grinned at her. “Besides, many men have tried tae kill me ‘afore, and, as ye can see,” he held his arms out wide, “they havenae succeeded. Dinnae worry about me. I’m a fighter.”

“Och, well, we ken that, all right,” she quipped.

Owen sighed, and then gazed at her. “So, me faither now kens everything.”

“Nae everything.” Iseabail shook her head. “I didnae tell him that ye were being hunted by nefarious men who wanted yer head, or the fact that ye were fighting tae raise the coin tae pay them. But aye. He kens the real reason ye came with me. I was honest and told him the truth about me faither and Keane. At least, if we ever mak’ it tae Laird Sutherland with this damned crystal, yer faither might ken where tae find ye, if anything does happen tae ye.”

Owen smiled then, and inclining his head, he said, “Ye ken, now that I’m awake, I am in need o’ something.”

“Anything,” Iseabail said, nearly kicking herself for not offering him something sooner. “Are ye hungry? Thirsty? Dae ye want me tae find ye some wine?”

“I’m nae interested in any o’ those things, Iseabail. What I want more than anything in the world right now, is a kiss. When I slipped intae the darkness, I didnae think I would see ye again. Now ye’re here beside me, I want ye in me arms.”

Iseabail smiled and moved closer to him, leaning in to kiss him. But as her lips brushed his, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto the bed with such speed, Iseabail hardly knew what was happening.

“Me God, be careful o’ yer arm,” she cried breathlessly.

“I dinnae care a wit about me arm. Ada has done her job well. Now, I want ye beside me.”

Wrapping his arms around her, he lowered his lips onto hers, and kissed her tenderly. But as Iseabail kissed him back, it was clear he wanted far more than a kiss, and she felt his desire in the desperateness of his embrace.

While his tongue roved about her mouth, arousing her with his passion, he dropped his hand to her frock, tugging at the ties and pulling them loose. He slipped his hand inside of her shift, finding her breasts, and as his fingers circled around the soft flesh, her nipples immediately hardened at his touch.

Clearly, it pleased him, for he let out a deep groan. With the softest of touches, his fingers caressed the fleshy part of her bosom, making circles around and around. Iseabail gasped in shocked delight when he finally reached her peaked nipple. It sent a shooting desire across her body, straight to the apex of her thighs. She moaned as he continued, for once again, he was eliciting pleasure from her that she had not known she could experience.

Dropping his lips from her mouth, Owen perched himself on his elbow and suckled on her other breast.

“Och, me God,” Iseabail gasped, grabbing hold of the covers beneath her. She felt a slickness between her thighs and an ache that brought her hips alive, for she writhed without even having to think about it.

His tongue continued to tease her, while his hand moved over her stomach, and grabbed the material of her frock. Pulling it upwards, she felt the material graze over her knee, and automatically she let her legs fall apart, now desperately aching for his touch.

Her body reacted as it had done that first night they had spent together, and while she had survived on the memory of their lovemaking while Owen had remained unconscious, now she wanted to feel all those wonderful sensations again.

His fingers moved lower and lower at such a slow pace it was agonizing. Iseabail now craved his touch, and panting with the pleasure she already felt, she experienced a desperation within her. Finally, his fingers slipped between her thighs.

Upon feeling her soft slickness, Owen growled. “Och, Iseabail. Ye are so wet fer me.”

She gasped and cried out when he found her aching nub. He began slowly, rubbing her gently, still flicking is tongue across her taut nipple. Iseabail now arched her back, pushing her head into the soft mattress beneath her.

His fingers moved faster as she panted and groaned. It felt more intense the faster he went, and Iseabail felt herself climbing. She panted heavily, her body writhing beneath his touch, her head pushing harder into the mattress, and her body singing with delight. As she climbed, the feeling intensified, and her body began to shake uncontrollably. Suddenly, an immense feeling of pleasure exploded from her most inner parts, and she cried out.

“Och, me God!”

The sensation lasted for a little while longer, flowering out across her body and down her legs. As her body calmed, she finally felt as though she were floating. Up off the bed, out of this room, and high into the sky above them. At that moment, a serene relaxation washed over her, and a soft smile danced upon her lips.

Eventually, she looked up at Owen, who gazed down at her, his face flushed with delight and desire.

“Ye truly are an amazing woman, Iseabail,” he growled, his voice thick with desire.

“And ye are a wonderful man,” she sighed back.

Her eyes took in his whole face, and a strange feeling washed over her, a feeling that told her that she wanted to remember everything about it. Every line, every crevice, every scar.

“I want ye,” he murmured, the desire raging in his eyes.

“And I want ye,” Iseabail replied, shifting herself in the bed.

But she was aware of his injury, and as much as he had said he was fine, Iseabail worried that what they both wanted would undo all the healing Ada had spent so much time on.

“I dinnae want ye tae damage yer stitches,” she said, kneeling up beside him. “Tell me what tae dae?”

Owen tossed the blanket that covered him to the side, and then pushed his trousers down past his hips, revealing his huge, erect manhood.

Iseabail gasped at the sight of it. Their first night together, she had hardly seen it, and now, with it in full view, she could hardly believe he had fit inside her tiny body.

“Come over tae me,” Owen said, holding out his hand.

Taking hold of him, Iseabail moved back onto the bed.

“Now, put a leg either side o’ me hips.”

Hitching her frock around her waist, she straddled his hips, feeling his huge manhood brush against the inside of her thighs. Thighs that were already wet with the explosion Owen had elicited from her.

Watching her now, he moved his hand beneath her frock, and grabbing his erect member, he guided himself inside of her.

“Oh,” Iseabail gasped, feeling him slipping inside her, and filling her up as she lowered herself down onto it.

Owen reached behind her and with a buttock in either hand, he gently lifted her up and down, while at the same time, moving his hips to meet her. Pressing her knees into the bed, and balancing herself with her hands on his taut stomach, Iseabail moved with him, feeling him filling her. It was intensely pleasurable, and she found herself panting as the two fell into a rhythm.

He did not take his eyes off her, but even with the intensity of his gaze, Iseabail did not turn away. She wanted to drink him all in. His smile, his beautiful eyes, and every inch of his face.

He moved his hips a little faster, and at each thrust, he slipped deeper inside of her. Iseabail once more, felt herself climbing with the friction between them.

Owen’s brow now furrowed as he breathlessly moved with her. She watched as he got closer and closer to his peak. It only aroused her more, as she too, climbed higher and higher, nearing that ecstatic explosion he had elicited from her only moments before. Their bodies clashed together as they both reveled in that moment. A moment of connectedness, a moment of utter rapturous joy, a moment of love.

Owen continued to watch Iseabail as her body inched closer and closer to bliss, and teetering on the edge, she cried out once more as she jerked and convulsed. With him inside of her, it made the experience far more intense, the pleasure taking her to an even better place than earlier. Only after that, did Owen fully let go, letting out a mighty roar as his entire body stiffened while emptying himself inside of her.

Exhausted and delirious in her ecstasy, Iseabail fell forward onto his chest. Beneath her, she could hear the strong and rapid thumping of Owen’s heart. They were both still breathless and panting, and in that moment, Iseabail felt an immense contentment wash over her.

By the time Ada returned, they were both dressed again. The old woman made them something to eat, and after supper, she relayed to Iseabail what she had told Owen earlier.

“Like I said to Owen,” Ada said, looking across the table at them both, “I cannae ken if the crystal will even be there.”

“We have tae look,” Iseabail replied. “After all we’ve gone through, it’s the best news we’ve had so far.”

The following morning, Iseabail and Owen readied themselves to leave for the waterfall. When they entered the kitchen, Ada handed them a bag.

“It isnae much, but I’m sure ye’ll get hungry and thirsty along the way.”

Iseabail ought not to have been surprised by her kindness, for the woman had showed nothing less since they had arrived, yet, still, she was astonished at her thoughtfulness.

“Thank ye, Ada,” she gasped. “Ye truly have a heart o’ gold.”

“Indeed, ye have,” Owen added. “I will be certain tae travel back this way and pay ye fer all ye have done fer us.”

The healer swiped a dismissive hand and snorted. “I dinnae want yer coin. Sure, I’m an old woman. What would I dae with a great amount o’ money? If ye want tae pay me back, be kind tae another. That’s all I ask.”

Owen and Iseabail nodded. “We will indeed,” Owen said.

As the two reached the door, the healer said, “And if ye dinnae have any luck, be sure tae come back tae me. Ye’re welcome tae stay as long as ye need.”

Again, they thanked her, and then stepped out of her cottage and into the daylight.