Highlander’s Evil Side by Shona Thompson

Chapter Twelve

Beitris

Beitris ran her hands through Fraser’s hair, tugging him closer to her. His hair felt silky soft between her fingers. His tongue was like sweet velvet. She wanted him closer. She wanted to touch him, taste him. Her tongue met his, entwined around him, earning a low groan as her prize with each touch and prod. His mouth opened for her, and she willingly entered him, her curiosity dissipating and turning into need and desire. Pleasure shuddered down her spine and pooled at her core, making her legs part with want and her movements become more bold. Her hands tugged at his hair, her legs moved, trying to get closer to him, to feel him.

This kiss was different than the one she shared with the stranger. It was gentle, not demanding. It was urging rather than taking. It left her wanting and needing more of him, more of Fraser. Her hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, pawing at him, searching for something she didn’t know.

Fraser pulled away from her, his eyes staring back at her glossy and drunk. “Beitris,” he breathed, his voice making her insides heat.

Beitris reached for him, and he pulled her onto his lap, his mouth kissing her neck hungrily, his hands pulling at the strings of her dress. Her head lulled to the side, a gasp escaping her as his teeth grazed against her skin. She held him to her, unable to stop touching him, knowing she should probably stop now before they went any further.

Something rustled in the woods, a stick breaking in the distance. Beitris straightened, her desire replaced by fear as she searched the trees. Her eyes widened on a man, cloaked in dark fabric, his face covered with a crimson rag. She tapped Fraser’s shoulders, pushing him away from her neck.

“Fraser, stop,” she said, fear coating her words.

“What?” Fraser whispered, his hands grabbing hers. “Did I do something ye didn’t care for? Are ye alright?”

Beitris couldn’t speak. Her finger raised, trembling as she pointed to the cloaked man, watching as he stepped out from his hiding place. Four more men, donned in the same dark garments followed him. There was something in the man’s gait, in his very aura, which made Beitris’s hair rise on the back of her neck.

Fraser followed her finger, his eyes widening on the men’s approach. He sprung to his feet and brandished his sword, lowering into a fighting stance.

“Good day,” said the one in the front, his dark eyes glimmering with amusement. “Apologies for interrupting.”

The four men cackled, brandishing their swords. The man with dark eyes, the leader, tilted his head, his gaze remaining on Beitris. Her body shivered as she felt his eyes rove over her, undressing her. She slowly rose, her entire body shaking while she grabbed Fraser, pulling him towards her.

“We need to go,” she whispered.

“What is it that ye want?” Fraser asked, his voice stern and commanding.

The leader scoffed. “Naething much. A wee of yer coin and perhaps a taste of yer lass.”

Beitris whimpered.

“Ye can’t have her,” Fraser said angrily. “She belongs to nae one.”

The leader barked with laughter, followed by his men’s dark chuckles. They glanced at each other menacingly, inching forward while pointing their swords at Fraser.

“Fraser,” Beitris whispered, not knowing what to do.

They were cornered with the water behind them and their horses far away. Even the soldiers were too far to see, to know they were being attacked by brigands. Beitris didn’t know what to do. They were outnumbered five to two. Nae, she thought, they were outnumbered five to one. She didn’t have a blade to use in defense, and even if she did, she hardly knew how to fight, only a few movements her father taught her long ago. Fraser was going to die to protect her. She couldn’t let that happen.

“She belongs to us, now, lad,” said the leader gruffly, swiping his sword angrily.

Beitris looked around, searching for something, anything she could use. She grabbed a rather large rock, tossing it up and catching it repeatedly, feeling the weight of it in her hand.

“Don’t come any closer,” she said, her grasp tightening on her weapon.

The leader chuckled bitterly. “Don’t tease me.”

Fraser lunged forward, striking his sword against the leader’s, who blocked the attack easily. The four other brigands rushed forward, swinging their swords. Beitris threw her rock, hitting the leader in the head. He groaned, his hood falling to his shoulders and displaying a head full of dark, wild strands. Blood dripped from the wound in his head, dripping into his eyes.

“Why ye little!” he shouted. “Get her!”

The four brigands lunged towards them. Beitris grabbed two more rocks, throwing them at the closest brigand, hitting him in his shoulder and his stomach. He groaned while reaching for her, but Beitris was too quick. She jumped into the water, plunging deep into the pool’s depths. Her skirts weighed her down, but she fought, punching her arms forward. She surfaced, gasping for breath. Turning around, her eyes widened on Fraser, blocking an attack from the brigands’ leader while another swung at his back.

“Watch out!” Beitris shrieked, her voice trembling from the frigid water and the fear ripping through her.

Fraser blocked the man’s attack, kicking him backward before striking at another. Beitris looked around, splashing water while she searched the trees for the leader. He disappeared somewhere, but she knew he couldn’t be far. Her body was growing weary as she kicked the water, trying to keep her body afloat. The men behind her grunted and groaned as they fought. One brigand went flying backward when Fraser landed a punch in his face, screaming while grabbing at his nose.

“Beitris, get to land!” Fraser shouted over his shoulder. “Run to my men!”

Beitris watched him press his fingers to his lips, whistling loudly, her ears ringing at the ear-splitting sound. She waded towards the rocks, her feet meeting the pool’s floor. Her eyes still searched for the leader in the trees. She rose from the water, her dress sticking to her chilled skin, her body shivering with cold and fear. Her naked feet stumbled forward, and she winced at the rocks pinching her soles.

“Where are ye?” she whispered, her hands fisting, preparing herself for the inevitable. If the brigand leader so much as touched her, she would scream, she would bite, she would make it extremely difficult for him to ever claim her.

“Looking for me?”

Beitris spun around, her eyes widening on the dark-eyed leader, his gaze making her stall, unable to move as he towered over her. Her mouth gaped open. She tried to scream, she tried to do something, but fear kept her rooted as if she was staring at an apparition instead of a man made of flesh and blood. His hand reached for her, and Beitris whimpered, her eyes clamping closed. She felt something rough brush against her cheek, her neck.

“Aye, yer bonnie. I can see why he likes ye.”

Beitris shivered, keeping her eyes closed. She could feel his breath on her face, wreaking of ale, nauseating her senses. “Until we meet again,” he whispered in her ear.

Beitris’s eyes flew open, finding no one in front of her. Nothing, but the trees rustling in the wind. She heard shouts and turned, finding Scott, Kenneth, and Gavin rushing forward with swords drawn. Striking their swords, the brigands blocked, the sound ringing and grounding Beitris.

She scrambled forward, picking up another rock as the MacClery men fought the brigands. Scott swung his sword while Kenneth blocked an attack. Gavin roared, lunging his large body forward. He dodged a swipe to his side and shoved his body into his opponent, slamming him to the ground.

“Retreat!” shouted the man while slapping Gavin’s shoulders in a vain attempt to remove him. He reached for his sword, but Gavin slammed his fist into his arm, earning a shriek in response.

“Hurry!” shouted another brigand, turning away from Scott and running towards the wood.

Scott followed him while Kenneth blocked his path. The assailant turned on his heel, nearly running into Scott. He gasped, his left eye twitching while his hands slowly raised in defeat.

“Who are ye?” Scott shouted, shoving his blade forward, nearly pricking the brigand’s throat.

Gavin grabbed his opponent from the ground, hoisting him onto his feet and shoving him forward towards his accomplice. Beitris saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Her grip on the rock tightened as she whirled around, finding two brigands running into the forest.

“Stop!” she shouted, throwing her rock and hitting one in the back. She heard a grunt in response, yet neither of the men stopped.

Beitris turned back towards the men cowering in the middle of Scott, Kenneth, Gavin, and Fraser, their swords pointing at them. She inched towards them, carefully looking around in case the leader returned.

“Who is yer leader?” asked Fraser. The men looked at each other before laughing maniacally. Fraser scowled. “Tell us, and perhaps we’ll let ye live.”

One man stepped forward; his head craned towards Fraser, and his eyes widening wildly. "And why should I tell ye, ye little—”

Beitris gasped, watching as a man, the leader, emerged, his sword drawn and aimed at Fraser’s back. “Look out!” she shouted.

Terror seized her heart, and she watched as the leader slammed the hilt of his sword against Fraser’s head. Fraser groaned, stumbling backward, the sword falling with a clang to the ground. The sound echoed within her, her mouth gaping open as she watched the leader kick Fraser backward. Fraser shook his head, his eyes widening before barely dodging the swing of the leader’s sword. Kenneth moved, lunging forward and attacking the leader from the side. He jumped back, easily dodging the strike while Scott ran forward, stepping in front of Fraser.

The two brigands ran at Gavin, slamming their bodies into him and making him fall backward. One kicked him in the ribs before running into the wood, disappearing easily into the darkness. Only the leader was left, but he was too strong. Beitris grabbed another rock, but she didn’t know where to throw it. She didn’t want to hit Kenneth and Scott.

The young lass glanced at Fraser, watching him touch his head lightly, gazing at the blood on his fingertips. Something must have taken hold of him, for he lunged for his sword, seizing it quickly. He ran at the leader, swiping his blade. The leader blocked, cackling as he pressed his sword against Fraser’s.

“Ye think ye can take me?” the leader asked gruffly, his dark eyes glimmering with hate. “I’d like to see ye try, laird.” He whirled around, swiping his sword at Fraser.

Fraser jumped back, but before he could strike, Kenneth stepped forward to block him. The leader cackled, blocking his attack easily before kicking him in the stomach, sending him flying into the water.

“Kenneth!” Fraser shouted, watching with worry and alarm as Kenneth surfaced, coughing up water and gasping for breath.

“Stay out of my way, laird,” the leader spat. “If ye know what’s good for ye.”

Beitris watched him leave, shivering when he cast her another look before disappearing beyond the trees. Kenneth swam to land while Gavin groaned and pushed his body up from the ground.

Beitris’s body moved. She felt numb. The air chilled her skin. Her skirts squelched with each step she took, her feet stumbling on the rocks. She didn’t care about the pain or the cold. She needed to see Fraser, to touch him, to know that he would live. Her gaze landed on Fraser, sword still in hand. Blood dripped down the side of his face, but other than the head wound, he was fine.

“Yer alright,” she breathed, rushing forward and wrapping her arms tightly around Fraser’s waist.

His arms tentatively came around her, holding her gently. He brushed the hair away from her face, whispering softly, “Aye, I’m fine, my lady.”