Chapter 6

Standing on a soft mound of grass, under the cloudless sky, Elspeth stared at the sparkling loch in front of her. Trees reached their arms out across the water, leaves shining like two shades of bright green satin with the mild winds twisting them, fluttering back and forth in the bright sunlight. The air smelled of crisp clean sunshine and a hint of loch, as a gentle breeze rolled up over the grassy knoll. She’d never seen anything so beautiful.

Beyond was a massive white stone castle on a hill with cliffs off to the right, the sunlight casting gentle shadows across the front from giant oaks cocooning the castle in a blanket of soft imprints, like fingers holding a goblet, softly brushing up and down the sides. The air smelled clean and sweet, of springtime. It was like a beautiful painting. Beside her was a large two-story stone cottage with a portico along the front facing the loch. “Ian, this is your home?”

Still holding her hand, Ian watched her reaction proudly with a smile on his face. “Yes, dearling, and later I’ll take you on a tour. Right now, I’d like tae give you a tour of the cottage.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made her giggle.

Then she looked down at the torn, bloody, and burnt dress she’d been wearing for days. Even with the bath she had, she felt dirty in her clothes and she was covered in ash that came off Ian. She thoughtfully fumbled her fingers through her tangled hair and looked at him with a grimace. “I…I’m…”

“Bonnie!” whispered Ian. “Come, kenning Merlin he’s thought of everything. He’s quite magical you ken, and thoughtful at times. I’m sure there’s a bath waitin’. Shall we find it, hmm?” Ian smiled and led her through the portico and inside the cottage.

The great room had shafts of light from high windows making a pathway down and evanesce across a long highly polished table and across the massive rock walls.

Large colorful woven tapestries of horses, forests, hunting dogs and gardens, hung freely draped down each wall. The dark wood and a fire in the giant stone fireplace brought the feeling of warm and cozy to an otherwise very large space.

“Is everything here so big? The rooms are big, the cottage big, the loch big, you’re big!”

Elspeth was a bit nervous and she sensed him pick up on it. “You think this is big wait ’til you see the castle. Come Elspeth, let’s find a bath and get cleaned up. You’ll feel better once you do.” They went up a beautiful winding staircase and at the top a long hall overlooked the first floor.

“This is the room I use when I want some peace just on the right. Eight brothers, weel there were nine, and four sisters,” he continued, “and a mon needs his privacy sometimes.”

He opened his door and they walked through. The walls had cross swords, a shield which she assumed were his colors of green and black, like the colors of his kilt and tartan, with a dragon on it of all things, a large stone fireplace with a small crackling fire inside, a large 4 poster bed that could sleep four, thick plush furs about the bed, and upon the bed about six beautiful different colored gowns, and a pale blue and a light green night dress both of sheer silk.

Elspeth couldn’t help but go touch the beautiful fabrics. Her smile was contagious, and she turned toward where Ian happily stood watching her.

“They, they’re the most beautiful gowns I’ve ever seen. For me?” she squeaked with watery eyes glancing at him. Ian nodded. In all her life, no one ever gave her these kinds of things. She put her hand through one of the silk night dresses and realized she could see her hand perfectly through the material. Her face flushed at what that meant.

“You willna be wearing ’em…much.” He grinned.

She looked about, and steam rose from a tub in front of the fireplace. “That’s the biggest tub I’ve ever seen, why it’s big enough for…”

“Two people,” finished Ian. “Weel three but with me in it and a small woman, two.” He looked at her longingly. “You join me, dear Elspeth?” he asked, walking toward her.

She shook her head yes quickly and repeatedly, as she always did when nervous. “Oh, Ian.” She closed the space and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t know why, and I can’t explain it, but I’d share anything, everything with you. It’s as if I’ve been with you forever, and I’ve just been waiting for you to come home.” She kissed him.

Softly and tenderly at first, then hunger hit them. He crushed his mouth to hers and she felt him go instantly hard.

She saw the look in his eyes, noticed his firm warm body against hers, and felt the length and girth of him grow where he was pressed up tight against her. Her mouth went dry, her blood heated, and she could feel him tremble as he held her close. She lost all sense in her mind when heat traveled throughout her body and landed in her mid-section. These feelings were unlike anything she had ever felt, warm, exciting, inviting, she wanted more.

As his hands brushed aside her hair and he gently kissed her neck, she felt branded in the best of ways. She wanted that brand engulfing her body, her whole body. She shuddered as he blew his warm breath down her neck, and stopped at the dimple in her collar bone, and gently twirled his tongue there. She wasn’t sure what to do, so she stood enjoying his ministrations. She couldn’t think, didn’t want to think, just feel. She could hear his heart pounding. Or was it hers? She didn’t know.

He ran his hands up along the back of her neck and through her hair bringing her tighter to his lips. With his other hand, he brushed her waist, reaching to gently knead her butt cheek and pull her against his erection. He was showing her what she was doing to him. He ground himself on her side and moaned.

She felt him breathe deeply and knew he was taking in her scent. He again gently kissed her neck along her throbbing jugular where he licked then nipped. She groaned. She felt his teeth scrape against her neck and she shuddered.

He moved again to her mouth demanding urgent kisses from her, and she could do nothing more than oblige. Her warm breath traded with his, their tongues dancing and swirling, if she didn’t stop she may faint, or die, but boy would she go a happy and fulfilled woman. And that is precisely what he made her feel like, a woman. She had never felt so wanted, almost demanded, and it thrilled her to no end.

She took her hands and softly explored his chest and around his shoulders sending a shiver through him. She enjoyed his hard-sculpted muscles, that bulged with every motion. She enjoyed his male scent, it sent her senses reeling. When he nipped her neck, her fingers curled, nails digging and pulling. It made him groan against her neck which sent a shudder through her. He ground his erection, rubbing against her, faster and harder. She knew her impatience drove him crazy as she pulled at his tunic. They tore at each other’s clothing not knowing how anything came off and Ian broke their kiss and backed away.

“Let me eyes feast on your beauty, Els. From the first time, I saw you, I thought you an angel. Brought tae me from heaven. I wanted you so bad. If you kenned how hard you made me at just a glance at you at the river, you may have run screamin’. But I’d never seen anythin’ as bonnie as you. In all the worlds, or my hundred’s years of life, it’s you I want, only you.”

She let him caress her with his eyes, and he slowly looked at her, his gaze gently traveling up and down her naked body. She blushed under his intent gaze, it was hard for her to stand still in front of him, she felt bashful. She watched as he glanced at her, his silver eyes blazing a burning trail down her stomach and hips. Then his eyes stopped at the bright red v of silky curls.

She blushed even more if that were possible and met his gaze. Eagerness ravaged her, she wanted to touch and kiss him. But she wanted to feast her eyes on all he was, like he had done with her, he was so magnificent. Large broad, sun kissed, olive shoulders, long wavy midnight hair tied back, tight muscular chest, his bulging arms that drew attention at the river, then she looked farther down and blurted, “You’re huge! That will never fit!”

Ian laughed. “It’ll fit perfectly dearling. We were made for each other. You’ll see. Come let’s bathe, take it slow.”

Elspeth sunk down in the warm water and sighed. Silky heat blanketed her tired muscles. Ian entered behind her and sat her on his lap. She couldn’t help but notice the very hardness to him as he repositioned himself. He poured sweet smelling oils in the tub and began to wash her back. “Ummm,” she murmured and closed her eyes. He washed her long tresses of red hair, massaging her scalp. He lingered on her breasts dropping the cloth and using his hands to massage her breasts, tweaking her nipples and plucking, causing her to moan.

He slid his hands along her thighs and a groan escaped. He rubbed her curls around, sliding between her moist swollen lips, but never touching her sweet spot. In nature’s way, she wiggled for him to touch her. She moaned and leaned back against him.

Arching up her hips she came out of the water. But he didn’t stop there he massaged her buttocks and returned to her curls. He pushed her long hair to the side. He licked along the pulse of her throat and she felt his teeth brush against her again.

“Stand for me Els, turn tae me and stand.”

She whimpered, moaned, and wanted to do anything to relieve the tightness in her. She wanted, no needed him, and she wanted him now. She stood facing him.

She let him explore and enjoyed it as he spread her legs apart massaging her thighs, then softly slid his fingers gently up and down from her breasts and over her belly. He brushed at intervals across the hidden bud at the apex of her opening, and then back around her hips, she gasped.

He spread her legs farther and leaned in toward her bright red curls. “What are you doing Ian?” Where he was going was unheard of. “The church…wouldn’t…”

“Gods would,” he replied with a grin. “Let me taste the most delicious flavor a mon could ever ask for.” With that he licked her curls, he smothered his face in her blanket and moaned. She could feel his hands tremble as he softly brushed them over her belly then down to her back side where he gently grabbed her.

He squeezed and kneaded her buttock and pulled her close to his face. His moans vibrated against her skin and she tingled all over. Leaning her head back and giving him more access, she lost all thought of propriety and just felt. And oh, how she loved the feeling.

“Ask me, Els. Ask what you want I weel give it tae you.”

“Y…yo…you. Oh, Goddesses Ian. Please make me… just, please I need…you.”

She smiled as he laughed, and then he smothered her with his mouth and tortured her with his tongue. He laved around her hardened button, stroking and gently sucking until she felt herself starting to quiver.

Her moans and desperation had her pulling his hair, tangling her fingers in his long dark locks. He chuckled and grabbed on her nub with his lips, sucking gently until the muscles in her thighs did a dance of their own. She didn’t know if her legs would hold her. He must have felt it because he grabbed her thighs and hung on.

The tension in her belly wrapped tight and she thrashed her head back and forth groaning and finally something snapped and soaring to an unimaginable place, she saw stars. Spasms overtook her, she screamed his name, and when she didn’t think she could take anymore, she floated back toward earth. When she opened her eyes, and looked at him, he had a grin from ear to ear.

“You love me now, doona you sweetling?”

She laughed. “Let me wash you now, and I’ll show you, just how much I do!”

Ian laughed. “Come tae me then, me bonnie lass!” Standing in front of him she leaned over, and started with his hair and scalp, making sure to bend before his face where her swollen breasts brushed against his lips.

He was so hard he was ready to explode. He was trying to give her slow, but all he wanted was to drive deep and have his way. Instead he planted his hands on the edge of the tub, knuckles white, and held on waiting for what would come next. He smiled at the thought of his innocent fire haired beauty.

She leaned over him, brushing her breasts against his face and mouth. It was more than he could take. He had held himself in check this entire time, when she drove him nuts with her smell, touch, tenderness, and moans. He knew then without question she was his.

The words “life mate” ran strongly through his body and mind. The mating ritual for vampire included exchanging blood. His incisors dropped again. What the hell was the matter with him. This was the third time in one day he’d lost control of his incisors. He’d never had the desire to share blood with anyone in such a manner.

He had to have blood every three days or so to remain young, and it was never uncomfortable for anyone, but the sharing of blood, becoming mated was entirely different. Rutting was fun, but it was just that…a good romp. With Elspeth, he wanted more. He wanted to exchange blood, to hear her thoughts daily and for her to hear his, to be connected.

His mind wandered for a second. Perhaps she’d make the change for him, and they’d have a family and live hundreds of years together. He inhaled the scent beside her ear. He’d wait and talk to her later about how the mating ritual tied them for life. He didn’t want to scare her. Right now, he wanted to love her, drive her wild, watch her face, and taste her.

The scent of her arousal was driving him insane. She brushed her breasts against his face once again. Ian growled at the sight of the beautiful scene in front of him, and just when he was going to grab her she quickly straightened, turning to him she held up the dripping cloth with a grin on her face.

“Enough woman! A mon can take only so much!” She laughed. He jumped up splashing water over the sides of the tub and grabbed her. Without drying off he strode to the bed, both of them dripping wet, and tossed her atop the furs. He knocked the gowns to the floor and jumped on top of her. He kissed her hard, stroked her in a frenzy, kneaded and plucked her breasts, and couldn’t get enough of her.

Ian looked in Elspeth’s eyes. He warmed at her half-lidded expression and seeing the trust there humbled him. He knew she was an innocent, he didn’t know if she’d ever been kissed. He wanted to be gentle with her, slow, sensual, and give her first time all the attention it needed. This allowed him to slow down and savor, where a second ago he trembled at the thought of burying deep inside her warm flesh.

She stared into his eyes and he saw a bit of fear, a bit of longing, and most of all love. He could feel it. They both could. It enveloped them both, and inside he felt something warm unfurl deep within his soul.

He felt protective. He wanted to bottle her up in his love and make sure nothing ever harmed her. He felt tenderness melt through him, and he leaned in and gently kissed her, long, tender, tasting her. She gave back and their dance together ensued. He left her mouth and kissed gently down her neck, he trembled like he never had before, uncontrollably, his hot breath garnering a little mew.

He licked down between her breasts then turned and took a nipple in his mouth. He gently sucked and flicked his tongue over the hardened nub, then turning his attention to the other one. He felt himself harden to the point of being painful. He didn’t mind, she was worth the wait, he wanted to savor her, and Gods he was certainly doing that.

Never had any other woman affected him so, and he had many over his eight hundred years, no one compared to her, not her beauty, nor her soul. He couldn’t believe he’d found her, that she was here, and he was holding her, touching her, tasting her, loving her. He shuddered at this intense realization and buried his face in her silky-smooth stomach and rubbed his lips back and forth savoring the texture of her skin, the intoxicating smell that was her, he felt he was about to burst.

With trembling hands, he moved lower until he once again knelt between her thighs. He looked at her face bent back, flush with lust, her eyes closed, and her lips parted, her breath coming fast. He bent and took her in his mouth and she groaned. He brought her to a fever pitch then stopped and looked at her as he moved atop her. “Look at me Elspeth,” he whispered.

In a moment of stillness, he looked in her eyes with his forehead to hers. “It’ll only hurt you the first time, and I’ll be careful. It canna be helped sweetling. I’m sorry.”

“I know Ian, I just want you. Please…I can’t wait any longer.”

Holding her gaze, he entered her slowly. He trembled with anticipation, trying hard to hang onto some sort of control. When he reached her barrier, she moaned, and he entered swiftly, tearing past it. He stopped buried deep inside, he squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

She was so soft, so tight, her wet heat engulfed him, and he almost spilled his seed. He stilled himself clenching his teeth waiting for the throbbing to quit, hoping to take control of himself before everything ended then and there. My Goddesses where was his control.

She cried out at the instant intrusion and he passionately kissed her. He held her tightly, stilled. He waited until she started to relax, kissing her slowly, patiently. His tongue tasted her lips, and on her sigh, he entered her mouth. A moan escaped her.

Brushing her smooth skin with his hands, he waited for her to go at her own pace. When she began to move her hips, he pulled back and entered smoothly, setting a slow pace.

Gently he entered and withdrew. He knew when she completely forgot the pain as she increased the thrusts joining him halfway up to his downward ones. “More,” she said. “Please Ian, I want more.”

He laved her nipples, licked up the length of her neck, then kissed her hard.

She groaned and returned his kisses with a fervor of her own. She kneaded his shoulders and stroked his chest. She kissed him. She licked and nipped her breathing punctuated by little mew sounds. She increased her aggressiveness and thrusts and he readily complied.

He looked at her face, her head bent back, eyes tightly shut. “Look at me Els, open your eyes and see what you do tae me. Look at what we are together.” She opened her eyes and melted in the depth of his blue gaze. He leaned up, buried deep and pushed deeper.

“Look at us locked as one.” She gazed from his face and down his chest to where they were joined. He pulled almost all the way out and entered deeply again, burying himself. On his knees, he picked up her hips, and buried himself once again. She groaned. She looked back in his eyes.

“Please, Ian more.” He increased the pace, and she wiggled around him, grinding and thrusting. “Harder, more!” She pleaded with her gaze and started to close her eyes again.

“Nae, doona,” he said softly. “Watch and feel us.” With eyes half open she gazed again at him. He let go of her hips, leaning closer he massaged her breasts. He licked the tight nibs. He leaned back and grit his teeth to try and hold his control, waiting for her. Sweat beaded his neck and ran down his back.

He knew when she was close, he could feel her muscles tighten, hear her gasps, she arched under him and then she let go screaming his name. She shattered in his arms, quaking, their eyes locked together.

At the first ripple he lost himself. With the roar of her name they came together with an intensity Ian had never experienced before. Gasping for breath he held her tightly and turned them on their side, entangled in each other’s arms and legs, remaining inside her still hard.

He brushed the hair back from her flushed face. Eyelids lazy, half-closed, her emerald eyes stared into his as if his soul was caressed by hers. He didn’t have any words but didn’t need them. He felt something pass between them binding them tightly together.

He smiled, and she snuggled in closer her face warm against his neck. He pulled the fur over them and they fell in a deep sleep as the sun sank over the mountain and left the room draped in ribbons of moon light.

On and off all night they’d awake and make love. Sometimes fast and furious, other times slow and long. When late morning came, and the sunlight filtered over their faces, they awoke to make love again.

When finished, Ian leaned up on his elbows and said, “You’re beautiful Elspeth McLellan. Let’s eat and you can tell me something aboot yourself. I’d like to ken everything aboot you.”

“Weel, I lost my parents at seven winters. I grew up in a monastery and I’m a healer. I love caring for people, animals, and now dragons. I have a deep respect for all living things, including many flowers and plants that aid in healing. My brother found me a year ago and brought me back to where I first lived.” Thinking of Athdar made her instantly sad.

Ian picked up her sudden discomfort. “What is it Els? What has you troubled?”

“Something the king said about my brother. He said he rutted beside him in battle, insinuating that Athdar was as cruel as he, in abusing women. I’ve never been close to my brother because he’s a lot older than I am, but I wonder at his cruelty. Something about Athdar makes me nervous, almost afraid, always has. Isn’t that a strange way to feel about one’s brother?”

“Weel how aboot, together, we figure things oot?”

That brought a smile to Elspeth’s face. “Tell me something about you, Ian.”

“Weel, you already ken I am vampire, weel half vampire, the other half fae. I ken you doona understand what it means tae be a vampire or fae as you are from inner earth. I ken there are tales aboot us, and some knowledge of our existence, but not many ken of us. I ken you must have questions that I’d be happy tae answer.”

“What does that mean exactly? Do you have special powers like I do as a healer? I’ve heard of fae and vampire only in stories. I thought they were myths. Do you have to drink human blood to live?”

“Els, let me begin with this,” he said, sitting up pulling his hands through his tousled hair. “I’m not from your earth, although I help protect the mortal realm. I’m from here. That’s why we had tae use Merlin’s portal.” He looked at her confused expression, as she sat up facing him. Och weel, he thought, she may as well know.

“There is a parallel world, two earths, we call our’s outer earth. You live in inner earth. In between is the Lulara Veil. The only way to travel through the veils is through a portal. You are all mostly human. Here, where I’m from we are many different species, fae, vampire, werewolf, demons, trolls, among others.

“Basically, people like you but with certain powers and abilities. When inner earth is threatened, there are certain ones of us who travel there tae, weel, help even things oot. We protect the humans. We do it discreetly of course. I drink blood every few days, but not tae live on. I eat food like you, but the blood is what keeps me young, from growing old. I am eight hundred years old. I’m sorry Els, I can stop,” he said noticing her grimace.

“No,” she said crossing her legs. “What you said just took me by surprise. Go on please, it won’t change how I feel about you.”

Feeling comforted, he continued. “I doona have tae drink human blood, animal blood works, not as weel, but even if we partake of human blood we doona kill for it, and it is quite nice for the donor who gives it. Our incisors impart a chemical that leaves the donor with a euphoric feeling. They enjoy it, and everyone is happy. I wipe their memory then, so they doona remember.

“I can turn tae mist and transport to anywhere I’ve been afore, except through the veils, or if I were tae transport you with me, we could go tae anyplace you’ve been on inner earth, even if I haven’t. Our connection allows for me tae do that. I couldn’t with just anyone, but I ken you can tell we have a special connection.

“I canna transport between worlds, or through veils, for that we need a portal. The fae part of me can call on the forces of nature, rain, snow, bodies of water, wind, heat, these things, and I’ve had tae in battle. Sometimes I can call on animals tae come. Mostly small animals. They like me. I can conjure up fireballs as a weapon and throw them. I usually like my sword, Dragon Slayer, though.” He grinned. Warmly placing his hand on her shoulder, he gently turned her and brought her on to his lap. He sighed then continued.

“My brothers and me have special powers, unique tae us,” he said putting his chin to the top of her head and staring off in space. “I can tell a good mon from bad. Even if they lie tae me, it comes tae me in truth. I hear the truth while others only hear the lies. I’ll tell you later about my brother’s gifts, because I have tae tell you aboot us.

“If you’d have me I’d like you tae be me wife. Being my wife means the mating ritual. We’d share blood, not much, just enough tae bond. Its verra enjoyable to share and most mated like tae do it every time they make love. Increases the pleasure.

“You’d also be able tae hear my thoughts, and me yours. Not always though, there’s like a door we could shut if we have private thoughts we’d like tae keep tae ourselves. Let’s say, for example, I was in battle and I dinna want you to ken what was happening, I could shut you out. You can see where that would be a good thing. But if you ever needed me you could reach out to me and I’d always hear you. After we mate and our first bite you’d carry my mark on your neck and me yours. It’s like a brand that shows we’re mated. We will also carry a type of mated smell that warns other vampires to stay away.” He paused, as if waiting for her to stop him. When nothing came he continued.

“We’d have many children and the gift tae you is living a verra, verra long time. We’d live together for a verra, verra long time. Would you want that Elspeth? Would you consider being my wife? We’d have tae have a wedding my mither would skin me if we dinna. We can go through our mating ritual at any time. You will go through changes to become like me. It can be painful, but the results you ken. What do you say?”

“Ian, as strange as this is, and for as quickly as my feelings for you have escalated, whatever or whoever you are is what I love. I can’t explain why I loved you the second I laid eyes on you, but when I looked in your eyes I felt as if I’d known you all my life.”

“It’s the way of the McGregors. We wait, sometimes a long time, until we meet our mates, and it only takes the first look tae ken, and I ken when I first saw you back at the river, that I felt the same way aboot you.”

“I too feel, I want to be with you and only you. Yes, I will be your wife. Yes, I will make the change, no matter the pain. The pleasure of being with you outweighs any pain I can imagine. Yes, I’d like a family with you, more than anything.” With tears in her eyes she kissed him, and they made love again.

With the sun reaching noon, he lay atop Elspeth, watching her closely. “Hungry Els? I’m starving. We have a cold closet off the kitchen, shall we go see what Merlin left us? Then when we’ve had our fill we can bathe in the loch. It’s a little cool but verra nice and invigorating. You will not have tae get dressed. Merlin cloaked us with plenty of space, that is if you doona want tae get dressed that is. I canna wait for mither tae meet you. She will love you, I ken. Come…” and he grabbed her hand anxious to share his joys with her. He’d never wanted to bring a woman here before, but her, she belonged here, and it made him happy.