“No. She cursed him into this witch’s ball until such time as the spell is broken.”
Nessa’s heart pounded up into her throat. She felt the rhythmic beats synchronize with the pulsating light of the orb. Her mouth grew even drier. She lost the ability to breathe as she glanced into the depths of the ball. “Latharn’s soul is trapped in there?”
Trish nodded.
Nessa remembered all the tales she’d found about the MacKays’ loves and their losses. Hands pressed against her cheeks, Nessa’s heart swelled in her chest, sympathizing with Latharn’s pain.
As she realized all Latharn must have witnessed, everything he knew and loved torn away. Nessa’s throat ached with unshed tears. She couldn’t imagine the misery he’d suffered, trapped in the crystal as he watched his world die away.
She splayed her fingers on either side of the globe. Nessa drew even closer to the swirling surface.
“Oh, Latharn, I’m so very sorry,” she whispered. Her heart clenched with the sorrow he must have known. She couldn’t imagine her gentle Highlander trapped inside the tiny glass tomb for nearly six hundred years. Her eyes overflowed with tears of compassion; she didn’t bother to wipe them away. She just watched as they rolled down the sides of the shimmering witch’s ball.
“Latharn, you’ve taken such good care of me all these years. You’ve made me what I am today.” Her tears came faster. Nessa closed her eyes. Her lips trembled as she whispered, “I want you to know I have always loved you and I would give anything to be able to set you free.”
As soon as the words fell from her trembling lips, thunder, and lightning split through the room. Wild energy spun around in a cyclone of blinding light, ripping everything from the shelves.
Furniture crashed against the walls as chairs and tables lifted off the floor. Nessa dove under the table, joined by Trish and the MacKays. They shielded their heads with their arms and whatever cushions they could grab. Then all went silent. The storm died just as soon as it had risen. Not an object in the room was untouched by the fierce energy that had ripped through the house.
Nessa remained motionless under the table; afraid something would fall on her head. She just knew the building must be about ready to collapse from the violent attack it had just endured. Strong hands closed around her arms and lifted her from the rubble. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into the set of deep green eyes she’d only seen before in her dreams.
As he tenderly stroked the curve of her cheek, Latharn groaned with satisfaction. “’Tis about time ye said the words for me, lass. I’d begun to think I’d never be free of that hell.”
Nessa’s jaw dropped; her lips moved but no words came out. Speechless, she stared up into his face. She’d never imagined how his voice would sound.
His deep Scot’s burr, the way his words rolled off his tongue—the sound set fire to her blood. The richness of his voice stroked her body, making her ache for more. Running her fingertips across the stubbled whiskers of his jaw, Nessa finally whispered, “It’s really you.”
Latharn lowered his mouth to hers. He savored his first true taste of her lips. When her trembling hands slid up his chest, his heart swelled to near bursting. He deepened his kiss of possession. He tightened his embrace. He’d waited for this moment for centuries. To hold her, the one woman he ever loved, to feel her breathless against his chest.
The one way he’d maintained his sanity all these years was by searching for her with his mind. He’d used his powers. He’d traveled the mists until he’d finally located her soul in the energy of eternity. Once she was born, he’d waited for her to become a woman so he could be with her in her dreams. He’d watched Nessa since her soul first came into being now, at last, he held her in his arms.
Latharn raised his head and smiled down into her eyes. “I’ve waited for centuries to hold ye like this. Now that I have ye, I’ll never let you go.”
Nessa lost herself in the strength of his arms as she heard the others rustling through the shattered room. She could stay in the loving warmth of his embrace forever and ignore the rest of the world. However, the others might be hurt from the energy storm that had released Latharn from the crystal orb. Her conscience nudged her. She couldn’t enjoy her flesh and blood lover until she was sure her friends were okay. “Maybe we should unearth Trish and your cousins, since the two of us have caused a bit of a mess.”
With an arched brow, Latharn tore his gaze away from Nessa and looked about the room. Flexing the corded muscles of his right arm, he stretched his hand out over the carnage of broken furniture and shattered glass. An aura of purple light surrounded his body and culminated into a solid beam flowing from his extended hand. As he guided the energy beam around the room, everything returned to its undestroyed state.
“Damn. Can you teach me how to do that?” Trish gazed around the room.
“He’s more powerful than all the others,” Fiona whispered, huddling against Brodie’s side.
“I am the highest trained master of the ancient ones still physically walking upon this plane.” Latharn’s voice rang with sorrow as he faced the present-day MacKays. “When all the others passed to the next level of existence, they willed their powers to me.”
Brodie stretched out his arm and waited to grasp Latharn’s forearm in the ancient greeting of another member of the clan. “I’m proud we were the ones to finally see ye free, Cousin Latharn. Welcome back to our world.”
Latharn nodded and his smile returned as he accepted Brodie’s proffered arm. “Aye, I canna thank all of ye enough for the role ye played in helping Nessa break the curse.”
With a fiery spark in his eyes, Latharn turned and swept Nessa up into his arms. “Now I must ask ye to forgive me but I’m sure ye’ll understand that I’ve quite a bit of...catching up to do with my future bride.” Then he turned and strode through the doorway to the bedroom, kicking the door shut with a purposeful slam.
ChapterTwenty-One
With a sultry smile, he lowered her to the bed, his eyes never leaving her face. He claimed her mouth and nuzzled at her lips. He whispered his love to her in husky Gaelic phrases. Latharn grabbed her blouse by the front and ripped it aside, buttons popping across the room. With one quick motion, his mouth never leaving hers, he slid her pants to the floor.
Nessa pulled his plaid from about his shoulders and tossed it to the floor. She wanted her body melded against every inch of his skin. She wanted his hardened muscles playing beneath her fingertips. She wanted to memorize him with her touch, his velvety hardness pressed against her belly. Pulling him closer, she raked her hands down his back.
“Latharn, please,” Nessa panted. Arching her back, she pressed against him. Why didn’t he just dive in?
Nipping a blazing trail of kisses down her jaw, Latharn’s voice grew hoarse as he nuzzled at her ear. “We need to slow down, Nessa. I mean to pleasure ye well. I’ve been waiting for this moment for centuries.”
