*****
Veronica was spitting mad by the time asmall contingent of the party adjourned just outside their bedroom.She jabbed a finger at Lachlan, then at Victor, Finn, and Ramsayrespectively. “Everyone inside,” she bit out. “I’m not playinghere.” After the group shuffled in, she shut the doors behind herand whirled around to confront the odious men. “I’m goingtomorrow!” she said forcefully, careful to keep her voice as hushedas possible. “If I have to fight every Gunn warrior to do so thenso be it!” She crossed her arms over her chest and repeatedlytapped her foot on the floor.
“Wife—”
“That’s right,” she said, seething. “I’myour wife, Lachlan. Not your fucking doll!”
Finn and Ramsay tried their best to masktheir amusement. She didn’t care what they thought. She was in nomood to placate anybody.
“Nica,” Victor said in his mostbereasonabletone, “I don’t know what we’re dealing with. If youdid manage to bring the DR-71 virus back through time then we needto eradicate it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you ever evenbeen in close proximity to someone stricken with DR-71, Victor?Much less an actual eater?”
“Mom and dad—”
“Mom and dad passed away before the deadstarted coming back to life.”
“I passed a few eaters on my way to thedocks,” he said defensively.
“So…no.” She splayed her hands. “I’ve seenit all. From the fever to death to reanimation and so on.”
Victor hesitated. “She has a point,” hefinally said, looking at Lachlan. “I’m sorry, but she does.”
Veronica glanced at her faux leather satchelin the corner. “And I can end them before the horror begins.”
“Nobody is ending anybody!” Lachlan growled.“Wife, you dinna ken this fever is the same as your future oneyet.”
“And I can’t know without seeing one oftheir sick.”
“What if you catch the fever from being nearto them?”
“What if you do?” she countered. She nextthrew a hand toward Finn and Ramsay. “Or them?”
She could tell Lachlan was about to eruptfor she knew the warning signs by now. Victor broke up the would-beargument, his hands going to his hips. “Nobody is going to catchit,” he promised. “We’ll cover our faces before entering Campbellland.”
“With what?” Lachlan asked.
“Why?” This from Finn. The polar opposite inlooks from the blond-haired, blue-eyed Ramsay, Lachlan’s number onewarrior was dark-haired and dark-eyed like his laird. “Why coverour faces?”
“The sickness initially spreads throughsneezing, coughing, and close contact. Do you have a plaid we couldcut up and make thick strips from?” he asked Lachlan.
“Aye.”
“That will suffice. The material offers asolid barrier. It’ll be somewhat difficult to breathe through, butwe’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
Lachlan looked fit to be tied. Veronicalikened him to a caged animal wanting to pounce. He cursed andpaced back and forth within the bedroom. After what felt likeforever, he stopped and glared at her. “Fine,” he bit out. “You maycome with us. But you are never to leave my side. Do you understandand agree to this condition?”
She nodded, relieved. She wasn’t letting herbrother venture into the unknown without her. Nor was she lettingher over-protective, aggravating husband do it either. “Ipromise.”
*****
Veronica had assumed after the morningthey’d shared in the bath that Lachlan would wish to consummatetonight, but after stripping himself of all clothing and crawlinginto bed, he gave her his muscular, battle-scarred back. He wasapparently still upset that she insisted upon accompanying him tothe Campbells in the morning. She supposed she should have feltrelieved she’d been given another reprieve from the consummation,but all she felt was emptiness.
Yes, Lachlan had definitely gotten to her.There was no question about it now.
Flipping onto her side, she didn’t say aword as she laid back to back against her giant of a husband. Shedidn’t like having bad blood between them, but she couldn’t in goodconscience send them on their merry way to the Campbell’s holdingtomorrow either. They’d be riding into the potential situationnaked whether they realized it or not. She’d wear one of her damngowns to try and blend in, but beneath it would be herMatrixsuit. She was taking no chances. Not with her life,not with Victor’s, not with Finn and Ramsay’s. But especially, sheadmitted to herself, not with Lachlan’s.
He meant something to her, damn it. Theexasperating man had gotten under her skin. There was no sense inpretending otherwise anymore.
